


Menagerie

by shemarmooresfedora



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Meet-Ugly, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, reader owns a bookstore cause she’s cool like that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:14:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 29,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29846898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shemarmooresfedora/pseuds/shemarmooresfedora
Summary: “Don’t you get it? It’s all been a lie, Spence. Since the moment we met, our entire relationship has been founded on a carefully crafted lie and since then, we have been tricked into thinking this was love...but maybe that was a lie too”
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader, Spencer Reid/You
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

I woke up from my peaceful slumber to hear a loud crash followed closely by someone yelling “FBI”. I screamed, alerting the agents of my presence thinking I was in danger but once the agents had reached my bedroom, I was being put in handcuffs and read my rights.

  
“W-What is happening? Is this some sort of sick joke?” I stuttered.

  
“Do you think killing three men is a sick joke?” the muscular intimidating agent spat back.

  
I was in utter shock. I barely even left the house let alone go out on a murderous rampage.

  
“I-I don’t know what you think I did b-but I can assure you I-I didn’t kill anyone or do anything illegal,” I tried to stay as calm as possible but I was shaking profusely.

  
The other agent that was the back-up in my apprehension seemed to notice this and took some sympathy on me by lightening his grip on my cuffs as he led me out of my front door that had been kicked down.

-

I sat in the chilly interrogation room wishing I had something else on rather than a thrifted oversized t-shirt with stains on it that said “Best Dad Ever” and sweatpants. They removed my handcuffs, I guess I wasn’t considered that much of a threat in a locked room in FBI Headquarters. Although I could not see past the one-sided glass, it was obvious the agents from before and possibly others from their team were standing on the other side, observing me.

-

“Well she is definitely not what I was expecting,” Prentiss was the first to break the silence as the whole BAU team watched you through the glass.

  
“She was sleeping when we apprehended her. Her facial expressions and body language showed clear signs of distress but I can not be certain if it was because we have the wrong person or she is scared she finally got caught. In her apartment, we found nothing in the slightest bit incriminating, mostly just lots of books,” Spencer spoke, while he was trying to remain impartial, he had admired her taste in literature as he was looking for evidence.

  
“I’m not convinced. I think this is whole “I don’t know what you’re talking about” thing is an act,” Morgan stated as he strolled to the door leading to the room you were being held in.

-

The door opened and my eyes flickered up. Much to my dismay, it was the muscular agent rather than the tall, lanky agent who seemed a lot friendlier to me given the circumstances.

He took the seat across from me and spoke firmly, “I am ready to take your confession whenever you are”.

At this point, I was just getting frustrated. I was ripped from my bed in the middle of the night given no explanation other than I had supposedly killed three men and he had the audacity to ask for my confession to something no one would even tell me the details of. So against my better judgment, I opened my mouth which has been known to get me in trouble from time to time.

  
“Well, considering no one has even told me what I am formally being accused of or the details, I can’t do that. Do you even have any evidence to keep me here? Oh wait...you don’t...that’s why you need a confession because all your evidence so far has been circumstantial. Only too bad for you...I know my rights. So, you have forty-eight hours to find some real evidence against me, that doesn’t exist if I may add, before you have to let me go.”

  
The agent looked back at the glass with his jaw dropped.

  
“I watch a lot of crime TV shows,” I huffed and crossed my arms.

-

“Okay this may be harder than we originally planned, folks. We are going to need everyone on call for the next forty-eight hours until we find some incriminating evidence,” Hotch spoke.

  
The agents began to depart from the room to review old case files and dig deeper into your personal history. Spencer stayed back for a few minutes and saw tears start to roll down your face when you thought no one was still watching you. You quickly wiped them away and wringed your fingers together. Spencer didn’t know if he should or not yet but he felt bad for you.


	2. Chapter 2

The door opened again but this time, you just kept your eyes down at the table so the person could not see your watery eyes.

You have been trying to put up a brave face but every time, a different agent comes in to question you about your routine, friends, family, and personal life, you just feel exposed.

Traces of your DNA had been found on the bodies and they had all visited your bookstore but that wasn’t enough to convict you I guess. You didn’t know the victims personally but you still felt bad for them.

A cup of coffee was placed gently into your line of sight. You wrapped your hands around the warm paper cup and mumbled your thanks.

“I didn’t know how you liked it. I can add more creamer or sugar if you like,” the voice spoke.

You glanced up tentatively and it was the tall, lanky agent. Your lips turned up ever so slightly into a small smile but it was the most you could manage at the moment. You took a sip.

“No it’s fine, thank you. It really helps. I appreciate it,” you said.

“I’m Spencer, by the way”

“Y/N, but you probably already know that by now.”

He chuckled at your joke. Silence filled the room once again.

“I didn’t do it, Spencer...and I know I can’t really prove that but I wish I could. Most of my friends live in another state and so does my family so I don’t go out too often.I don’t have a boyfriend. I own a bookstore so I spend most of my time there. I don’t really know why this is happening to me,” you started to get choked up again so you stopped talking.

-

Spencer involuntarily blushed when you stated you didn’t have a boyfriend.

He really needed to get it together as much as he wanted to believe you.

You could be a murderer for all he knows...but a really pretty murderer with a great taste in literature and probably even a bigger collection of books than him.

Stop it, Spencer, get your head in the game. He smiled softly once more at you cradling your drink and exited the room.

-

The forty-eight hours were up. They had nothing solid against you. If anything, the team had less of a case against you.

The bodies were all dumped on the opposite side of town from where you lived but it was clear they had been transported there. Garcia’s digging showed you had no car and you weren’t lying when you said most of your friends and family live out of state so the chances of you borrowing someone else's car were unlikely.

Credit card receipts showed you hardly ever went to that side of town and they had profiled the unsub would know the area well.

The victims did come into your store a few times but they also visited all the shops on that street occasionally as well. It didn’t make sense for you to kill your customers. That would just be bad for business and easily linked back to you.

The team agreed that they believe Y/N was no longer a suspect.

-

An officer drove you back to your apartment where luckily, your door had been fixed.

You ordered takeout and took a shower to hopefully rid yourself of the stress of the past two days. Shortly after your dinner, you fell asleep hoping your door would not be busted down again by the FBI.

-

A few days had past and you were opening up the store for the morning. You were in the back organizing the nonfiction section when you heard the soft bell chime of the door opening.

You walked to the front expecting to greet one of your regulars. Once you saw who was standing shyly at the front desk, you stopped in your tracks.

“Spencer?”

“Uh h-hi-hello Y/N. How are you?”

“Good...unless you are here to bring me back in for more questioning,” you said half-joking half-seriously.

“Oh! Um no, you’re all set. I am truly sorry about that. But I do have a question for you,” he was nervously wringing his hands just like you do, looking anywhere but your eyes.

“It’s okay kind of sounds like the wrong thing to say because I would preferably not be dragged out of my bed in the middle of the night and then held for forty-hours but I understand, you were simply doing your job. Anyways, ask away,” you replied.

His eyes finally made contact with yours and he opened his mouth like he was about to say something but completely lost his confidence.

“Do you...um do you...do you have a nonfiction section?” Spencer blurted out.

You didn’t understand how the nonfiction section could make someone so nervous. He looked as if he was going to say something else but thought better of it.

“Of course! I was just organizing it! Right this way!” you chirped with a smile that seemed to untense his shoulders just a little bit.

Spencer perused the section a bit before deciding on a hefty book about the different plants and flowers native to the East Coast. When he made his way up to the front desk to check out, you praised his choice.

“Aw! I love reading about plants. I have some many succulents in my apartment. It's honestly more of a jungle. Have you ever seen forget-me-nots? So lovely!”

Spencer smiled and nodded, knowing if he tried to speak it would be gibberish because he could not focus on anything when he was looking at your radiant smile.

-

“Did you do it?” Morgan asked as Spencer entered the bullpen with a brown bag.

“No but now I have a book on plants and flowers. I actually am excited to read it. Did you know that some plants like orchids do not require soil to grow they get their nutrients from-”

“You chickened out,” Derek sighed.

“She is so pretty! She was just standing there in all her radiance smiling at me and I couldn’t take the rejection. We dragged her out of her bed and put her in handcuffs only to find out two days later, she is innocent. I can hardly believe she is still being nice to me despite it.”

“Well believe it or not, the first night I met a girl, she was in handcuffs in her bed with me so it’s not always a bad thing,” Morgan smirked.

“Not appropriate, Morgan,” Spencer scolded.

“What are we talking about? I don’t like to not be included in the gossip!” Garcia ran over in her pink heels with Prentiss right behind her.

“Pretty Ricky here went to visit Y/N at her bookstore but then chickened out about asking her on a date,” Morgan informed them.

“Awwwww! I like her! She’s so pretty! Plus, I have already done a background search on her and she is squeaky clean now that we have proven she isn’t a murderer,” Garcia excitedly rambled.

Prentiss was nodding her head in agreement, grinning at Spencer.

Spencer had already chugged his morning cup of coffee during this conversation just to have an excuse to go get another cup and leave this conversation.

“You can’t run away from your feelings, Boy Wonder!” Garcia shouted.


	3. Chapter 3

You were sweeping the floors of the store when a young woman entered with her phone pressed to her ear in the middle of a conversation. 

You gave a polite smile that she returned as she went deep into the rows of cluttered shelves. You tried not to eavesdrop but she was being rather loud. 

“No, I think it’s really nice that you got a reservation at the fancy restaurant downtown tonight. I am looking forward to it, Jess. However, I already got us tickets for the foreign film festival and there’s no way we can make both.”

There was a pause. 

“Yeah okay, I agree. A fancy gourmet dinner is probably better than a movie I will only understand half of”, the woman chucked. 

She emerged from the shelves with a book in her hand and placed it on the front counter.

“Okay gotta go, babe. Love you.”

She hung up the phone and looked up at you as you told her your total.

She handed you cash. As you were getting her change, she spoke, “do you have any interest in two tickets to the foreign film festival tonight? My girlfriend and I were supposed to go but she got a dinner reservation. You don’t need to give me any money for them or anything, I just don’t want them to go to waste.”

It sounded interesting enough. You didn’t really have any other plans for a Friday night so at the very least it would give you a chance to leave your apartment. 

“Sure! But I don’t really have anyone to go with so all I need is one”, you replied. 

“Well, have fun for me”, she pulled out her purse and handed you the ticket, leaving with her book. 

“Thanks!”, you called out to her but she was already out the door. 

-

You decided to get dressed up a little since you were going to this alone, you didn’t want to look like a complete loser.

You took a taxi to the theater and once you got out, you waited in the line to get inside. It was a relatively big turnout for what some may consider a “boring event”.

You saw a familiar lanky figure a few people ahead of you. 

“Spencer?”

-

Spencer turned around in confusion to who he would know that would be coming to watch the film. All his friends denied his invitation to join him. 

And then he saw Y/N. Of course, she’s here. Of course, she would be interested in a foreign film. She’s perfect. 

“O-oh hi Y/N. You like foreign film?” he greeted. 

“Well, I can’t say I know too much Russian but someone offered me an extra ticket when they couldn’t come and it sounded appealing” you replied. 

“I can whisper subtitles to you as we watch. Not that you have to sit next to me or anything...you’re probably here with someone”

“Oh, no I’m here all by myself. I would love it if you could be my translator for the night if it’s not too much of a bother!”

Spencer wanted to tell her she was the exact opposite of a bother. He would love nothing more than to get the chance to sit next to her all night and help her understand one of his greatest interests. He refrained though that might scare her away. 

-

You and Spencer were chuckling as you exited the theater. You had had much more fun than you were anticipating. 

“Well thank you for keeping me company and teaching me some Russian”, you giggled.

The sound was melodious to Spencer’s ears. It’s times like these where he is especially thankful to have an eidetic memory so he could never forget the dulcet tones of your laughter and happiness. 

It was then that Spencer realized he had still not replied to you for quite some time.

“How about some dinner? My treat for having to ruin your movie night by explaining everything to me”, you suggested. 

Spencer was elated that you asked him what he was trying to summon the courage to ask you all night. 

“Dinner sounds great and please don’t worry about bothering me, I love to help others learn and share my interests,” Spencer expressed. 

“Well then maybe we will have to do this again some time. Come on! I know a great twenty-four hour diner nearby!” you grabbed his hand and towed him along down the sidewalk. 

Spencer didn’t mind one bit though. He would follow you anywhere. 

-

“I’ll have a coffee please, extra sugar”, Spencer ordered from the waitress. 

“Can I have a chocolate milkshake please?” you asked. 

“Of course, dear. Coming right up. 2 plates of pancakes with a side of bacon, a coffee, and a milkshake” the waitress jotted down in her notepad and walked away. 

“Milkshake?” Spencer questioned, grinning

“Sorry Mr. I am an adult but I still put way too much sugar in my coffee” you laughed. 

“I finished the book of plants that I bought at your store. Did you know that there are approximately three hundred and one thousand species of plants that have been discovered but humans only consume about twenty thousand of them. However it’s interesting that-”, he cut himself off, “sorry, ‘interesting’ is probably not the best word to describe a plant fact ramble”. 

“Spencer, are you kidding? This is like a podcast but even better! Please, keep going”, you urged. 

“Well I-um”, Spencer faltered he was so not used to people insisting that he continue his ramble that he lost his thought for a second, “what I was going to say was that it is interesting that only about thirty species make up ninety percent of our food”. 

Y/N had her elbows on the table with the palms of her hands holding up her cheeks showing she was fully invested. Her eyes were wide with wonder and awe. 

She could hardly peel her eyes away from Spencer when the waitress set down their plates. 

They dug into their food. Spencer thought Y/N looked absolutely adorable stuffing pancakes into her mouth between sips of milkshake. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face even if he tried. 

When their bellies were full, Y/N insisted on paying and gave her card to the waitress before Spencer could even protest. 

“No fair! Please let me pay”, Spencer insisted, pulling out his wallet. 

“Nope”, Y/N declared, “I’ve already said this was my treat and I am a woman of my word”.

Okay. Now or never, Spencer. 

“Well maybe I can pay next time...like a date I mean. I-I would like to take you to dinner if that’s something you are interested in”, Spencer stuttered. 

A smile appeared on Y/N’s face, “I would like that very much, Spencer”. 

The waitress returned with Y/N’s card and they got up to leave. 

“Wait!” Y/N exclaimed, grabbing a pen from her purse and writing her number on a napkin. 

“Here. I should go. It’s getting rather late and I have to open the store in the morning for all the early birds”. 

“Alright, well thank you for dinner and the best company a guy could ask for during a Russian film”.

Y/N giggled as she waved goodbye and slipped out the door, leaving Spencer clutching a napkin that had become his most prized possession within the past minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe people are actually reading my story! I haven’t decided how many chapters this is going to be yet, possibly around 20. Also, I looked up these random plant facts but they might be wrong so just don’t come for me, plant enthusiasts.


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer fiddled with his phone in his hands on the jet. A week had passed since you had graced him with your number but he had yet to use it.

“Pretty. Boy. What’s up, my man?” Derek slid in the seat across from him.

“Trying to decide if it’s worth making a fool of myself all night just to see Y/N again,” Spencer sighed.

“Kid, you already went out to dinner and a movie with her once. And then, she agreed to do it again. The only foolish move you could make is letting the pretty girl’s contact in your phone go to waste.”

“You’re right. I’ll call her when we land.”

-

It was a Saturday night and you were cooking along to your favorite playlist. Dancing around the kitchen as you diced garlic and sautéed onions.

You had a habit of making way too much food when in reality, you were only cooking for one and then having enough leftovers to last you a week.

Your phone began buzzing. You glanced at your screen. An unknown number. You swiped the accept call button, hoping it was one particular man rather than a pesky telemarketer.

“Hello?” you asked tentatively.

“Hey, Y/N. It’s Spencer from-”

You chuckled, “Spencer, I know who you are.”

“I know it’s a little late notice but I just got back from a case and I was wondering if I could still take you out to dinner”.

“Ummm,” you looked around your messy kitchen with meat cooking and sauce boiling, “do you just want to come over to my place? I’m already in the middle of cooking enough for the whole apartment complex.”

“Sure! Just text me your address. I’ll be there around seven.”

“Okay, great! See you then!”

You hung up the phone, looking down at your “Kiss the Cook” apron that your friend got for you as a joke and your messy hair pulled back in a jaw clip. You looked over at the clock displaying it was six-thirty.

“Shit,” you said to yourself, putting the sauce on simmer and frantically running to shower.

-

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

“Okay, he’s here, Y/N. Be cool, be cool,” you whispered to yourself.

You opened your door and your eyes immediately softened. He was standing there in a dark blue sweater vest with a white long-sleeved under it, holding a bouquet of forget-me-nots.

“I remembered you said they were your favorite flower. You look beautiful, by the way.” he spoke softly.

“That is so incredibly sweet, thank you for remembering. Let me just put these in water. You look very handsome too,” you accepted the flowers and went off in search of a vase.

“Well, I have to be honest, it’s technically impossible for me to forget because I have an eidetic memory but this was something I would have remembered anyways,” he said sheepishly.

“That’s so cool”, you grinned, “I have my own personal genius! No need for Google any more if I have you by my side”

He chuckled.

“Do you need any help in the kitchen? It smells lovely in here. I’m so used to ordering takeout that I can’t even remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal,” he stated.

“Oh my, that’s a lot of pressure. I can not promise you a gourmet fine-dining experience but I would like to think my cooking isn’t half bad. It’s all ready. I hope you like sesame chicken,” you said nervously.

“Wonderful,” he smiled.

You took out two plates and scooped out your rice, chicken, and broccoli onto the plates.

“Oh my god, this is amazing!” Spencer said between bites, “did you know only thirteen point seven percent of Americans report they have a passion for cooking.”

“No I didn’t know but that is interesting. I guess I am in the minority on that one,” you replied, “it’s so cool that you know that.”

Spencer looked at you incredulously.

“What? I can’t enjoy fun facts,” you grinned.

“Sorry, I’m just not used to getting that reaction. I have been picked on and bullied my entire life for knowing obscure things I shouldn’t,” Spencer spoke softly.

This wiped the grin off your face.

“‘Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity,” you replied just as soft.

He smiled, “Martin Luther King Jr.”

-

Spencer insisted on washing the dishes after dinner. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work as you stirred brownie batter that you had quickly put together.

You licked the spatula after you had put the batter in a pan and placed them in the oven.

“You know the CDC estimates the bacteria from salmonella causes about one point three million infections per year resulting in twenty-six thousand and five hundred hospitalizations and four hundred and twenty deaths in the United States every year,” Spencer states.

“The risk only makes it more delicious. Live a little, if you dare,” you held out the spatula to Spencer.

He considered it for a moment. He was a germaphobe. There were raw eggs on the batter and Y/N had already licked it. This should be his worst nightmare but for some reason, he wasted no time, leaning forward and tasting the sweet batter.

You pushed the spatula forward purposefully so a little batter got on his nose. He looked up as he heard you trying to stifle a giggle.

“That was an accident,” you couldn’t contain your laughter anymore.

“Oh I’m sure,” Spencer said sarcastically with a grin. He swiped his finger in the bowl and deposited some batter on your nose as well.

“Whoops, my finger slipped!” he chuckled.

“Oh Dr. Spencer Reid, you are so on,” you ran the sink and coated your hand in leftover suds running after Spencer. You blew them in his face.

He retaliated with flicking some water from the sink on your shirt.

You ran to your fridge and pulled out a canister of whipped cream and aimed it directly at Spencer’s chest.

“Alright, I surrender. I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t kill me,” Spencer joked.

You giggled as you lowered your makeshift weapon. He approached you slowly.

“A good first lesson to never mess with me,” you grinned.

“I wouldn’t dream of it”, he looked down at you with adoration and tucked a piece of hair behind your ear.

You leaned forward slightly and once you saw him do the same, you closed your eyes.

The kiss was soft and gentle at first. You could taste the lingering brownie batter on his tongue. Your body felt like it was on fire but in the best way possible.

The kiss began to heat up and you wrapped your legs around his waist as he lifted you up. He carried you to the bedroom and shut the door with his foot.

The brownies burnt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am going to try to update at least one chapter a day but i can’t make any promises. kudos/comments are much appreciated cause they really motivate me to write more if i know people are actually enjoying the story :)


	5. Chapter 5

You smiled and swiped accept call as you pressed the phone between your ear and your shoulder. You were reorganizing the kids’ section of your store which was always out of order. Somehow, the Berenstain Bears had been moved between If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and Junie B. Jones.

“Hey!” you greeted.

“Hi, I was just letting you know we apprehended the unsub and we are on our way home,” Spencer informed you through the phone.

“Yay!” you clapped excitedly, “I was missing you way too much”.

He chuckled.

“Will you come over to my apartment around eight? I should be home by then,” Spencer whispered but you weren’t quite sure why until you heard a familiar voice in the background.

“GET IT, LOVER BOY!” Morgan was making smooching noises as Spencer vehemently tried to shush him.

“Sorry about that, apparently Morgan does not know what a private conversation means”.

“Hey, this SUV is only so big. It’s not like I can leave the room,” Morgan quipped.

You chuckled, “Yes, I’ll be over your place at eight. Have a safe flight, Spencer.”

“Okay. Looking forward to it,” Spencer said as he hung up.

“So how long have you been seeing Y/N?” Morgan asked.

“It has been two weeks, four days, twelve hours, thirty-six minutes, and,” Spencer glanced down at his watch, “eighteen seconds since we ran into each other at the foreign film festival”.

“And when are you going to ask her to be your girlfriend?” Derek questioned.

“You have to do that?” Spencer looked panicked.

“Well, Reid, how else does it become official? This is the next step if you really like her.”

“I do. I really do,” Spencer said with no hesitation although he was blushing, “she loves my statistics. She only interrupts me when I am being self-deprecating. She loves books. She understands my job and why I have to be away for long periods of time. Her eyes and smile seem to creep into my soul and brighten every dark corner and crevice. Her laughter lifts any possible burden that could be placed on me. Plus, she is a great cook.”

“Wow, kid. If you don’t ask her to be your girlfriend, then I will,” Morgan joked but Spencer decided he had to do it tonight.

He could not let the best thing he ever had slip away from him simply because he was scared of rejection.

-

Spencer opened the door to immediately catch you in his arms. He squeezed you tightly as your arms wrapped around his neck. You nuzzled your face into his neck as he rested his chin on top of your head.

It had become kind of a tradition that as soon as Spencer would return home from a case, you would throw yourself into his arms and relish in each other’s warm embrace for a while.

He kissed the top of your head and set you down.

“Okay, what are we watching tonight?” Spencer asked.

It was your turn to pick. He chose Star Trek last time you hung out.

“Parks and Rec?”

He nodded, “Sure. You can pull it up. I am just going to get changed out of my work clothes.”

Spencer returned a few minutes later in flannel pajama bottoms, a tan cable-knit sweater, and of course his mismatching socks.

You were dressed similarly in gray sweats and a maroon sweater. You had begun to mismatch your socks too just to see the smile on his face when you did.

You raised the remote and were about to hit play when Spencer spoke.

“I-um-I actually have something to ask before we start.”

You set the remote back down and looked at him, prompting him to continue.

“D-Do you want to be my girlfriend? Officially?” Spencer managed to spit out.

Your familiar smile overtook your face as you remembered when he first asked you out, you repeated the same line, “I would like that very much, Spencer.”

You didn’t know how you got so lucky. As soon you uttered your approval, his lips were on yours, where it seemed like they were meant to be.

“Alright, boyfriend, let’s watch the show,” you giggled.

Spencer smiled widely at his new title. He thought he might actually prefer it over his doctor honorific.

Having a girlfriend as beautiful as Y/N snuggled up next to him seemed like much more of an accomplishment than a few PhDs.

-

You both were supposed to meet at this cute little Italian restaurant downtown ten minutes ago.

You had showed up five minutes early so you had been sitting alone at the table for fifteen minutes now.

You pulled up your phone and texted Spencer:

_Hey, I am inside._

After another lonesome ten minutes, you tried to call him but it went straight to voicemail.

Whenever a case came up, he would let you know. It wasn’t like him to leave you hanging like this.

Maybe he had rethought the whole “girlfriend” thing.

You opened your phone to the chain of messages that had been one-sided for the past thirty minutes.

_I am gonna head home._

_I hope you are okay._

You left a tip for the waitress even though the only thing you had ordered was water.

-

Spencer had just gotten home from work when he got a call from his mother’s facility. She had apparently gotten a little violent with a nurse and had to be given sedatives. Her doctor was calling to ask if they could discuss possible switches in her medication.

Without thinking, Spencer grabbed his go bag and went to the airport, hopping on the next flight to Las Vegas.

Since he was up in the air, he could not receive any of your messages or calls.

Spencer exited the terminal and entered the luggage claim area when he turned his phone on.

Y/N had called him seven times over the past two hours. Confused, Spencer went to his messages.

Instantly, his heart sunk even lower in his chest.

You didn’t even seem mad even though you probably should have been. You mostly sounded concerned and a little disappointed.

Spencer scrambled to call you back. The phone rung out and went to voicemail.

This could either mean two things: you had already fallen asleep thinking Spencer was the worst person in the world or you were ignoring Spencer because he was the worst person in the world.

“Hey! This is Y/N! I can’t come to the phone right now so leave a message after the beep and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible.”

Your cheery tone pained Spencer to think that he was the reason you were most likely in a much more somber mood now.

-

You woke up to your alarm buzzing. Your phone displayed notifications of missed calls from Spencer all throughout the night.

He sent a single text saying:

_Please call me. I have an explanation but it’s no excuse. I am so sorry._

You would call him when you got to the store. You weren’t necessarily mad, you were just late and needed to open.

It was dreary and raining today which pretty much summed up your mood.

You were fumbling with keys, a travel mug and your phone in the other hand, and a half of a bagel shoved in your mouth.

Just as you found the key to open your shop and get out of the pouring rain, your phone slipped out of your hand and fell directly into a puddle.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” you picked your phone up but it was no use. It wouldn’t turn on. You sighed. Perfect.

You performed your opening duties for the store, dusting, organizing, opening the register. There would most likely be no customers for at least an hour so you settled on the gray loveseat at the front of the store to reread Little Women.

As you locked up for the night, you realized you did not have any way to contact Spencer but it was probably too late for any phone store to be open. It would have to wait until the morning.

-

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Your eyes slowly opened and you glanced at your bedside table. It was only quarter past eight. You must have fallen asleep right after getting home from work.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

The knocks were light and hesitant.

“Y/N?” Spencer called out. This snapped you out of your post-nap daze, you sat up in bed.

“Listen, I completely understand if you are ignoring me. I just want to be make sure you are alright and I know I probably don’t deserve this but I just would like to explain,” he sounded so defeated.

It broke your heart, you really weren’t mad at him. Although, an explanation would be nice.

You opened your door to find him in a wrinkled light purple long-sleeve, damp from the storm still brewing outside, and a travel bag in his hand. His face somehow looked like someone had sucked the life from it.

You didn’t necessarily know how to approach the subject matter at hand.

“Um come in,” you said.

“Uh thanks,” Spencer stepped in and hesitantly headed to the couch, now feeling strange in a place that used to bring him so much comfort.

“I should let you know that I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose. I, being my idiot self, dropped my phone in a puddle on my way into the shop. I am not mad at you. A little upset? Yeah but definitely not mad.”

Spencer’s lips turned up in the faintest smile and then he took a deep breath.

“My mother has schizophrenia,” he said.

Though it wasn’t a complete explanation yet, you took his hand to comfort him. He was opening up to you about something that was clearly hard for him to talk about.

“Right when I got home from work that day, I received a call from her doctor saying she was having a violent outburst. She lives in an institution in Vegas, by the way. As stupid as it sounds coming from me, I forgot all about our date. But, Y/N, you have to understand it’s not because you’re not important too. You mean so much to me. It’s just that I’ve been on my own for so long that I forgot that more than just my mother was depending on me now. You were depending on me to show up and I stood you up. I failed you and I am so deeply sorry for that. Is there any way you can forgive me?”

You closed the distance between the two of you and pulled him into a hug.

“Thank you for sharing that part of your life with me. I know it must not have been easy. I forgive you, Spence.” you whispered into his chest.

He squeezed you even tighter and placed a kiss against your head, breathing in the scent of your lavender shampoo.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Spencer whispered but it sounded like he was talking more to himself than you.

“Bed time?” you asked.

“Yes, my dear,” he lifted you off the couch and carefully tucked you in under your comforter.

“You’re staying, right?” you were half-asleep at this point.

Spencer got into bed beside you and you snuggled up against him once more.

“I will stay as long as you will have me, Y/N.”


	6. Chapter 6

You woke up wrapped in Spencer’s arms with your legs tangled up underneath the sheets. He was pressing soft kisses on the back of your neck.

You hummed in content. You slowly opened your eyes, adjusting to the morning light. Sunshine was beaming through your curtains, the storm had passed.

“Do you have to go into work today?” Spencer asked.

“No, I’m having Caroline work today,” you responded.

Caroline was one of your few employees. Although you loved your store, you did not want to be there every single day so you hired a few college students to help you out.

“How about an apology picnic in the park? I’ll run to the store and get everything we need. You, my dear, can stay in bed until I return.” Spencer said.

“You have already been forgiven, Spence, so no need for the ‘apology’ part. But, a picnic sounds lovely,” you rolled over on top of him and started kissing down his neck.

“Do you have to leave right now?” you stopped your ministrations and looked up at him, fluttering your eyelashes.

“Hm,” he acted like he was deep in thought, “I suppose not.”

He rolled you both back over so he had you pinned underneath him as you giggled loudly.

-

“Okay, we’re almost there. Just keep your eyes closed for a few more seconds,” Spencer assured you.

“Spence,” you laughed, “I don’t really understand why I have to keep my eyes closed. I already know we are having a picnic.

“Okay,” Spencer stopped walking, “open your eyes!”

You opened your eyes to find a red and white checkerboard blanket spread out underneath a big maple tree with a great view of the park’s pond.

On the blanket was a pile of books, a chess board, sandwiches, fruit, cheese, crackers, cookies, and sparkling cider. There was a mason jar filled with forget-me-nots and daisies.

“Oh my god, Spence. This is going to be so much fun! Thanks for doing this,” you clapped excitedly.

“You have nothing to thank me for, Y/N. It is I who should be thanking you.”

Spencer leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on your lips.

“I’ve never actually played chess before. I know the pieces and the rules but I don’t know any strategies,” you spoke as you both settled on the blanket.

“Then it will be my honor to teach you, Ms. Y/L/N,” Spencer grinned.

“I don’t think I will ever be a match for you, Dr. Reid.” you chuckled.

“In chess, perhaps not. But in life, undoubtedly.” Spencer kissed you as you blushed and then began his lesson on beginner chess strategies.

-

The food had been mostly picked through. The chess tournament had ended in the totally anticipated three to zero victory for Spencer.

He was now reading his second book of the day and running his hands through your hair as you had your head in his lap, watching the baby ducks and their mom in the pond.

“Can you tell me a fun fact about ducks?” you asked.

“All ducks are part of the Anatidae bird family which also includes geese and swans. Different species of ducks can be found on every continent except Antarctica. A group of ducks is referred to as a paddling or a raft,” Spencer stated as he placed his book down to watch the ducks with you.

“That’s cute. ‘A paddling’...I like that,” you smiled.

Suddenly, you feel a vibration under your head. It was Spencer’s phone.

You lifted your head slightly so he could reach into his pocket. He glanced at the screen and sighed, hitting accept.

“Hey, Hotch.”

“Yeah, I can be there in about thirty minutes,” he gave you an apologetic glance.

You nodded and started to pack up your things. He hung up the phone.

“I’m really sorry,” Spencer said guilty.

“Don’t apologize for going to do good in the world, Dr. Reid. We had a great time today, didn’t we?” you assured him.

“Yes, we really did,” he smiled softly.

“I can walk home. You take your car to the office,” you told him.

“Are you sure?” Spencer questioned.

“I would not have said that if I was not okay with it. Now go, my genius...and come back to me in one piece!” you added as he stepped into his car after pressing a kiss against your forehead.

“I will try my best. Bye, Y/N. Love you,” Spencer’s eyes widened and he rolled up the window before you could even give your response.

“Wait!” you called out but he had already pulled out on to the street.

-

“You said what?” Morgan was laughing.

“It’s not funny, Morgan. What do I do? How do I fix this?” Spencer pleaded frantically for help.

“Well, I think the first question you have to ask yourself is did you mean it?” Emily joined in the conversation, entering the police station kitchenette to refill her coffee cup.

Oh, Spencer meant it alright but he just wasn’t sure if it was too early for him to say out loud. Y/N was probably freaking out right now.

Snapped out of his thoughts, he felt the buzz of his phone in his pocket.

_Movie night at my place when you get back. Your pick. Stay safe out there, Dr. Reid._

At least, you were still texting him. Your normal tone seemed like a hopeful sign to Spencer that he had not scared you away.

-

You already had popcorn popped and various bags of M&M’s, Reese’s, and Snickers strewn about on your coffee table when you heard a knock at your door.

It was definitely Spencer but the knock seemed even more hesitant than usual.

You opened the door and greeted him normally.

“Hey Spence!” you exclaimed, throwing yourself into his arms.

His whole body untensed in relief that your last meeting had not formed a rift between you.

He carried you to the couch and set you down.

“You know if you’re going to say something like that, you should really give me a chance to respond,” you spoke quietly.

“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t expecting to say it out loud so my instincts kicked in and I just ran...but you should probably know, I meant it,” Spencer closed his eyes, awaiting your response to his confession.

“Oh good then that makes what I am about to say a whole lot less awkward because...I love you too,” you smiled softly.

Spencer opened his eyes in disbelief.

“I didn’t want to say it over the phone my first time. Seemed a little too important. Plus, I wanted to see your adorable smile when I said it,” you giggled, reaching your hand out to his cheek.

Spencer was smiling so wide, his cheekbones hurt. He pulled you in for a long kiss which ended with multiple small pecks where he enthusiastically said “I love you” between each one.

“And I love you, Spencer Reid,” you replied with a grin.


	7. Chapter 7

Why does it seem like you have no good clothes in your closet when you desperately need a decent outfit. 

Earlier, Spencer had called and told you they were headed home and asked if you would be okay with going to the bar with him and getting drinks with the team. 

You happily agreed to it and he said he would pick you up in two hours. You and Spencer had been dating for over three months now so it seemed right to properly meet the people he called his family. 

Unfortunately, this would not be their first impression of you. They already knew you, possibly even better than you knew yourself. They dug into your personal history when they thought you were a serial killer. You had no hard feelings about it though because you wouldn’t have met Spencer if your arrest hadn’t happened. 

However, you were hoping to set a better second impression that would make them forget about the former. 

-

Spencer’s hand was on your lower back guiding you to the cheery table in the corner. You grabbed his other hand seeking to comfort your anxiety. 

“Guys, you remember Y/N, right?” Spencer introduced you to the team again because you hadn’t caught most of their names in the interrogation room. 

You gave them all a wave and a smile.

“Hi! Thanks for inviting me to join you guys!” you greeted. 

Spencer guided you to an open stool next to Penelope and across from Derek and Emily. Spencer had said Hotch opted out of drinks to go spend time with his son, Jack. 

“I’ll go get you a drink, my love, and then I’ll be right back.” Spencer pressed a kiss to your forehead and reluctantly let go of your hand as he made his way to the bar. 

As you directed your attention back to the table, you now had three pairs of eyes on you and they were all smiling in awe.

“Well, I personally would like to thank you for making our Junior G-man so happy!” Penelope gushed. 

“I second that,” Emily agreed after taking a sip of her drink. 

“Oh um thanks? He makes me really happy too,” you said sincerely. 

“Let me tell you...that boy is so in love with you. You should see him at work. He is always talking about you and you can practically see the hearts in his eyes,” Derek teased. 

You blushed. Your usual drink was gently set in front of you and Spencer took the other seat next to you, wrapping his arm around your waist again.

“I hope they are being friendly,” Spencer joked. 

“Ah, yes very much so. Derek here was informing me of your adorable obsession with me. Please continue,” you grinned, taking a sip of your drink. 

“How else am I supposed to let everyone know that I am the luckiest man in the entire world and I have the most amazing girlfriend?” Spencer explained.

You kissed him, forgetting you were in front of his co-workers, you let the kiss linger a little longer than it should have. 

“Get a room, you two,” Derek laughed. 

Penelope hit him on the arm. 

“I think it’s cute,” she chimed in. 

-

You, Penelope, and Emily had been dancing for a while now. You were starting to feel sweaty and a little tipsy. 

“I think I am going to take a breather and get some water,” you shouted to the girls over the music. 

As soon as you reclaimed your seat next to Spencer, he slid you a glass of water. 

“Thank you, love,” you said as you gulped it down. 

A few minutes later, the peppy music ceased and was replaced by a slow song. 

“Dance with me?” you asked, extending your hand. 

“Of course,” Spencer replied, kissing your outreached hand. 

As the two of you made your way to the dance floor, Derek, Penelope, and Emily were in awe once again. 

“Spencer doesn’t dance,” Penelope stated the fact that had been true up until this point. 

“I guess with the right person, he does,” Emily raised her eyebrows with a grin.

-

“Spencer? What are you doing here?” you asked as you opened the door. 

“Y/N, I think you are forgetting that I have an eidetic memory and I had to read your personal information when you were considered a suspect...I know what day it is,” he chided. 

You sighed. You had purposefully neglected to tell Spencer that it was your birthday. It wasn’t necessarily that you had any horrible birthdays but you didn’t really like all the attention and people making a fuss about you. 

It wasn’t like you were forgotten. Your friends and family back home had already texted you and called with their birthday wishes and made you promise to come home soon. 

“If you truly want to be left alone all day, then so be it. But the absolute least I could do for my girlfriend on her birthday is bring her breakfast and her gift,” he held up a coffee, a pink box from your favorite donut shop, and a small blue bag. 

“No, it’s okay. Come in,” you hugged him and he handed you the present. 

“Open it,” he encouraged. 

Inside was a key as well as a gorgeous necklace with a sun pendant. You looked up at him for further explanation. 

“The key is a copy for my apartment so you can come over whenever you would like and the sun charm on the necklace is a reminder that you brighten my every day just with your existence. Everyone should revolve around you because you are positively radiant,” Spencer stated it as if he was just rambling off another proven statistic. 

“Thank you, Spence,” you blushed as you handed him the necklace to put on you. 

“I figured since you had opted not to inform me of your special day that planning a big, extravagant day might not be the best idea. So, I will let you decide. I can go, I can stay, we can go shopping, we can stay home and watch movies, we can order takeout, I can make a reservation. Your wish is my command, birthday girl.” he winked. 

“Oh really?” you giggled, “I’m sorry for not telling you but I sometimes just get overwhelmed with all the attention. I think a hike today seems fun though.”

“With or without me?” Spencer questioned. 

“With, of course,” you pulled him in for a kiss. 

“You know…a cardio warmup before exercising increases body temperature and blood flow, reducing muscle soreness and decreasing the risk of injury,” he mumbled against your lips. 

“Is that so, Doctor? What did you have in mind?” you started to say but were promptly lifted off the ground by Spencer. 

-

“Spence, you work for the FBI. This is starting to get embarrassing. An elderly woman with two-pound walking weights passed us,” you turned around. 

“I know. She almost knocked me over and then muttered some curse words that I would not care to repeat,” he was hunched over with his hands on his knees. 

You chuckled.

“Once we are at the top, we can eat the trail mix I packed, have some water, and enjoy the beautiful scenery while we catch our breath,” you promised. 

“Okay, that sounds nice,” he straightened back out again and grabbed your hand.

“You may have to hold me back if we run into that granny on her way down though.” he joked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you are wondering why i didn’t include JJ and Rossi, i decided i didn’t want to write in all of the BAU team since they play a minimal part in the story. so, sorry if they are one of your favorite characters.


	8. Chapter 8

Spencer had been in Los Angeles for the past week. You two hardly had found a time to talk. Some of your texts had been left unanswered for hours but from what Spencer had told you, it was a hard case so you understood. You just hoped he wasn’t working too hard.

You were at your shop opening the newspapers and magazines that had been delivered for the week. You had one box of “Hollywood Access” magazines left to unload.

You ripped open the box and the flashy bold title read “Lila Archer Reunites with Old Flame”. You glanced at the paparazzi photos on the cover and your jaw went slack.

There were old pictures from probably a couple of years ago of Spencer and Lila making out in a pool. You would not hold that against him, who he did or didn’t make out with before he met you didn’t matter. But what did hurt were the recent pictures of Lila and Spencer hugging and smiling.

Maybe you were being irrational. But even if the farthest it went was a hug, if he found the time to chat up a gorgeous soap opera actress, he should have the time to call you back.

You slammed the magazines down on the table and grabbed your purse and keys, good thing it was closing time.

You were going to ask your employees if they could work the rest of the week until the new batch of magazines came in. As petty as it may be, you had no interest in seeing those magazines every day.

-

As soon as the case wrapped up, Spencer called you like he usually did to say he was headed home. The phone rung out and went to voicemail which was a little odd. You were usually home and cooking dinner at this time. He texted:

_On way home now. Do you want me to come over your place or meet me at mine?_

Once the jet landed, Spencer checked his phone again, you hadn’t returned his call or his message.

_Y/N? Is everything alright?_

After heading up to the bullpen, Y/N still had not responded. Spencer knocked on Hotch’s office door.

“Come in,” Hotch spoke.

“Hey Hotch, can I come in tomorrow and do my paperwork instead. Y/N isn’t answering my messages or calls and I’m getting worried,” Spencer already had his messenger bag on his shoulder.

“Of course,” Hotch said, “let me know if anything is wrong.”

“Thanks, Hotch,” Spencer sped to the elevator.

-

Spencer heard footsteps in your apartment and the TV playing. As soon as he knocked, the footsteps abruptly stopped and the TV clicked off.

“Y/N? Are you alright?” he called out.

No response.

“I’m getting really worried. You haven’t been responding to my messages. Can you just let me know if you are okay? I will break down this door if I have to,” Spencer pleaded.

The door whipped open revealing a distraught Y/N with puffy red eyes. She had been crying...a lot.

“Oh my god, what happened to you, love?” he reached his arms out to hug you but you put a hand out to stop him.

“Well maybe you should take the hint and leave me the fuck alone,” you hissed.

“I’m sorry I don’t understand-” Spencer was interrupted by the door slamming in his face.

He could hear her sniffles and the sound of footsteps retreating to her bedroom.

Spencer could tell he had messed up bad but he couldn’t fix it until he knew what he had done. Clearly him being here was hurting you more than helping so Spencer reluctantly left to give you some space.

-

Spencer never went to bed last night, he was racked with guilt trying to figure out what he had done to cause you so much pain. He went through his messages trying to find a clue as to when things took a turn for the worse.

He realized he had not been responding to some of your texts. He truly had been working hard on the case but he could have made time for a quick text. He promised he would work on that issue if he could fix whatever this was first.

Spencer knew the problem had to have been worse than him not replying to a few texts because he had unfortunately done that before on other cases. His head gets too wrapped up in crime scene photos that he forgets the real world is still happening too.

Spencer stopped by your bookstore in the morning on his way into work with a coffee and a muffin for you.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw Candace behind the register. It was Wednesday, you always worked Wednesday. When Candace caught a glimpse of Spencer, she frowned.

“Hi Candace, is Y/N in the back?” he hesitantly approached the counter.

“Nope, she is not in today,” she snipped back.

Candace was usually so welcoming and friendly. This confirmed to Spencer whatever he had done to upset her was horrendous.

“Um well could I leave her a note or something?” Spencer begged.

“I think you should go,” she curtly replied.

Spencer dropped his head and nodded, walking slowly towards the door. How could he have managed to mess this up so badly without even knowing what he had done?

Then, he saw it. The table with all the magazines near the front entrance. The bright, neon text. The false rumors and gossip that sent a pang through his chest. He understood now.

Spencer grabbed the whole stack of “Hollywood Access” magazines and brought them to the front counter.

“I would like to buy all of these,” Spencer said guiltily.

Candace gave him an unsure look as she rang him up. As soon as he had paid for them, he threw them all in the recycling bin.

-

You were in bed watching your favorite comfort show while trying to get yourself to at least finish a bowl of cereal.

Spencer’s contact came up on your phone screen indicating he was trying to call you. You let it go to voicemail. You were still recovering and wanted some time before you would listen to anything he had to say. Your phone buzzed.

 _I didn’t want to do this over text but I am hoping you will at least read this to let me explain a little. That kiss years ago was a one-time thing, nothing followed after that. This was the first time I had seen her since then and I had to interview her because the unsub was targeting directors and she had worked with a few of them. She hugged_ _me but I explained to her that I have a girlfriend. I was showing her pictures of you and that is why we were smiling. It was the one of us with frosting all over our faces after we had finished baking that chocolate cake for Emily’s birthday. I completely_ _understand that you need time. If you ever decide to grace me with the opportunity of letting me back into your life, I will not take it for granted. You are the only one for me, my sun. I will wait forever and a day._

_Yours always,_   
_Spencer_

You instinctually fiddled with the sun necklace he gave you for your birthday. It was a good start, you thought. You would give yourself a few more days and then call him.

Candace had texted you that he came into the shop and got rid of all the magazines. Now that they were all gone, you could return to work.

-

“Hello?” you accepted the call even though it was an unknown number.

“Is this Y/N Y/L/N?”

“This is she.”

“Ma’am I am calling on behalf of Dr. Spencer Reid. It says here in the paperwork that you are his emergency contact. He was admitted to the Baton Rouge State Hospital in Louisiana at 6:38 a.m. this morning.

“Oh my god, what happened? Is he okay?” you had already rushed to your bedroom and started throwing things into a travel bag.

“He is in surgery now but it is touch-and-go. He was shot in the stomach.”

“Okay, thank you for calling. I will be there in about six hours.”

You were already out the door on your way to the airport.

-

You burst through the entrance doors to the emergency room wing of the hospital and made your way to the reception desk.

“Are there any updates on Dr. Spencer Reid?” you frantically asked.

“Are you family?” the receptionist asked.

“I was called saying I was his emergency contact and I just hopped off a plane. Can you please just tell me if he is alright,” you were sobbing at this point.

“Y/N?” a voice called out behind you.

Derek and Emily were standing there.

“She’s with us,” Derek said to the receptionist who politely nodded back.

“Please tell me he’s okay,” you pleaded, looking between the both of them.

“He is okay. He is resting now but the doctors say he should wake up in a few hours. You can see him if you would like,” Emily offered.

You nodded, wiping your tears on your sleeve. They guided you to a room down the hall. It was eerily silent besides the beeping of monitors confirming Spencer was, in fact, alive.

You rushed over and grabbed his hand.

“Oh thank god,” you sighed, sniffling.

“We are sorry we didn’t call you but it didn’t take a profiler to see that something was up with the kid so we weren’t too sure about your relationship status at the moment.”

“It’s okay. I got a call when he was admitted because I apparently am his emergency contact,” you said, still looking at Spencer’s hand in yours.

“Huh, that’s weird. I thought I was his emergency contact. He must have switched it,” Derek responded.

“Yeah, I guess so,” you smiled softly.

“We have to head back to the precinct to interrogate the unsub now that he is in custody. Will you be okay here? Hotch should be here in a couple of hours and we will come back as soon as possible,” Emily explained.

“Yes, I will be okay. Thank you. I’ll let you know if he wakes up,” you told them.

-

You felt something in your hand moving ever so slightly. You had been resting your eyes with your head on the bed and your hand still in Spencer’s.

You shot your head up and saw Spencer staring down at you with watery eyes.

“Hi,”he spoke softly.

“Oh um hi. I should probably get a nurse and make some calls to the team now that you’re up,” you were already standing up and heading to the door.

“Please wait, Y/N.” he begged.

You had your back facing him but you stopped walking.

“I fought so hard, you know...when I was laying on that cement floor all I could think was that I could not die with you being upset with me. I could not let our story end like this,” he was sniffling.

“You are my sun, Y/N,” he continued, “there would be no light in my life without you. My happiness ceases to exist without you. I revolve around you. I could study you for years and still marvel in awe at your magnificence.”

Tears were flowing down your face silently as you turned around. You slowly walked over to the hospital bed and wrapped your arms around his neck so as to not injure his lower body any further.

“I love you too, Spence,” you mumbled into his neck.

You lifted your head and kissed him deeply to express all the love you still had for him.

“I still have to go get the nurse and call the team to tell them you are awake though,” you pressed one more quick kiss against his lips as you stood up.

He chuckled even though his eyes were still watery from before, “Please be quick...now that I have you back, I intend to keep you in my arms forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i know that elle technically destroyed all the pics of lila and spencer kissing but for drama’s sake, let’s pretend she didn’t. if anyone was wondering, there will be about 3 more chapters of fluff and then there will be some more angst (where the summary quote comes in!) but i promise there will be a happy ending and more fluff at the end


	9. Chapter 9

Spencer really thought he would be able to pull a fast one on you. Jokes on him though because you had already teamed up with the one and only Penelope Garcia. 

Spencer thought you had no idea it was his birthday tomorrow. You had a whole day of fun planned for Saturday but you wanted to celebrate with the BAU too so you and Penelope were decorating the bullpen on a Friday afternoon. 

“How much longer do you think Derek can stall him for,” you asked Penelope as you stood on a chair taping orange and black streamers to the wall. 

“At least another ten minutes or so. Morgan took him down to the archive room in the basement to find an old file that doesn’t actually exist,” Penelope giggled as she tied white balloons with ghost faces on them to the stair railing. 

The party was halloween themed, of course. It was only four days away at this point and it was both you and Spencer’s favorite holiday. 

You and Penelope were scrambling to set the cupcakes that looked like little pumpkins on the table next to the punch bowl with fake eyeballs in it. 

“They’re coming! They’re coming,” Emily sprinted into the room, almost knocking over Hotch who had been hanging up fake cobwebs.

You all gathered around the main table where the food and gifts had been placed. 

“There must have been a filing error, Morgan. Although, I do find it strange that I have never heard that case before. It-” 

Spencer was cut off when you all yelled, “Surprise!”

A childlike grin grew on his face as he looked from the halloween decorations to his friends and finally to you. 

He swiftly walked over and lifted you off the ground, spinning you around a few times as he hugged you tightly. 

“You thought you were going to just sneak your birthday past me?” you joked. 

“In my defense, you were prepared to do the same. I thought you said you didn’t even like birthdays,” Spencer said. 

“Au contraire mon amour, I said I don’t really like my birthdays. Any day I get to give you even more attention and love is a-okay with me,” you giggled. 

“You are truly something else, Y/N,” he said, pulling you in for a kiss. 

“You haven’t even seen what I have planned tomorrow for your actual birthday. I typed up an itinerary and everything,” you smiled excitedly. 

“I can not wait. Any day I get to spend with you is perfect,” he whispered. 

You placed a chaste kiss against his lips, “now go eat one of Penelope’s cupcakes before they are all gone.”

“Will do, my sun.”

-

You snuck back into the bedroom on your tippy toes and placed the tray down at the end of the bed that had apple cider donuts and coffee mugs resting on it. 

You wrapped your arms around Spencer and started kissing his neck. 

“Wake up, my love,” you chirped softly. 

Spencer mumbled incoherently. 

“You can not waste your precious birthday sleeping in bed. I won’t allow it. I have already printed out the itinerary so it’s basically set in stone at this point,” you chided. 

Spencer had yet to open his eyes but he secured his arms around your waist and pulled you on top of him. He started kissing down your neck and toying with the hem of your shirt in an attempt to persuade you to stay in bed. 

“You are lucky I know you so well. I scheduled an extra 30 minutes in bed for ‘nefarious activities’”. 

-

“Okay you can take the blindfold off now!” you giggled. 

Spencer had one of his ties wrapped around his head, covering his eyes for the entirety of the drive upon your request. 

When his eyes fluttered open, he saw a huge pumpkin patch in front of him. Behind the field of tangled pumpkin vines was a vast orchard of apple trees. 

“First, we are going to go apple picking so we can bake an apple pie later and then we are going to find the best pumpkins in the patch to carve!” you beamed. 

“This is by far the best birthday ever, my love. Thank you,” Spencer leaned over the center console and locked his lips with yours. 

“Okay! Okay! There’s plenty of time for that later! These apples and pumpkins won’t pick themselves,” you giggled, exiting the car. 

Spencer met you at the front of the car and you grabbed his hand, interlocking your fingers. 

-

“Y/N, you really need to be careful,” Spencer scolded you as he had his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. 

You insisted the best apples were at the top of the tree and climbed up an unstable wooden ladder to reach them, much to Spencer’s chagrin. 

“Do you want the freshest apples for the pie or not?” you asked. 

“Not at the price of you breaking a bone. There are more than one hundred and sixty-four thousand emergency room injuries caused by ladder falls per year,” he said, not loosening his secure hold around your waist. 

“Okay, okay. Our basket is full. Thank you for being worried and keeping me safe, Spence,” you climbed down and placed a quick kiss on his lips. 

“Let’s go find the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” you joked, walking towards the patch with his hand in yours. 

-

The aroma of the apple pie baking in the oven was wafting over to the dining room table in Spencer’s apartment. 

Old newspapers covered the table so you could scoop out the pumpkin guts before carving. 

Spencer had his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, carving his pumpkin with intense concentration. He had decided to do a classic Jack-o-lantern with sharp, pointy teeth. 

You were working on the silhouette of a witch riding a broom with a moon in the back. 

Once you were both done carving, you did a countdown and turned your pumpkins to face each other so the other person could see since you had been sitting across from each other. 

“3...2...1!” you both chanted and turned your pumpkins to face towards each other. 

“Oh my god, the detailing on yours is amazing! You are so talented, Y/N,” Spencer beamed. 

“Yours is incredible too, love. Very scary! We will have to put these by the door for the trick-or-treaters in just a few days,” you said. 

There was no point in bringing one back to your apartment since you only returned there when you needed something specific. Most of your clothes and other belongings already resided in Spencer’s apartment. 

“Now, can we please have some apple pie? The smell of it cooling on top of the stove is killing me,” Spencer begged. 

“Of course, it is your birthday pie after all,” you giggled. 

You insisted on putting a candle on his slice and singing to him even though he reminded you that everyone at the office had already sung to him yesterday. 

“Well that doesn’t count cause it wasn’t on your actual birthday so I have to do it again,” you explained and started singing as you brought over his pie. 

“Make a wish!” you exclaimed after you finished singing. 

He thought about it for a brief second and blew out the candle. 

“I wished for-” he started to say but was cut off by you abruptly putting your hands over your ears. 

“LALALALALA-I can’t hear you-LALALALA,” you sang loudly. 

Spencer had an amused look on his face when you finally stopped and uncovered your ears. 

“You, my genius, should know better than anyone that if you say the wish out loud, it won’t come true.”

He reached his arms out and pulled you into a hug, “Then I will not say it, my sun…”

You stayed in each other’s embrace for a while until your head shot up. 

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I almost forgot,” you started running to the bedroom. 

“Stay there!” you called out to him as you dug through the back of Spencer’s closet that now contained most of your clothes too. You had hidden your gift for him in a pile of your sweatshirts since you mostly wore Spencer’s sweaters now when you got chilly.

You ran back out to him, giggling excitedly, placing the gift wrapped in lavender wrapping paper with a white bow right in front of him. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything. You already planned out a surprise party for me and a whole day of fun activities,” Spencer spoke softly. 

“Open it, love…pleaseeee,” you stuck your bottom lip out and pouted in the adorable way that you knew Spencer could never refuse. 

Spencer rolled his eyes and grinned, gently unwrapping the gift. 

It was a scrapbook of your relationship. Everything from pictures of you guys to ticket stubs from movies you went to (including the ticket stub of the foreign film festival that became your first unofficial date) and even the paperwork you had been given after being held at the FBI. 

You had also glued in poems that reminded you of him and your infinite love for him. 

Spencer twisted his lips while looking down at it. Your heart dropped because you thought he didn’t like it. 

“I-It’s stupid. I should have gotten you something else-” you started reaching to take the book back. 

But when he looked up from the book, his eyes were watery. He had been twisting his lips in a futile attempt not to cry. 

“This is the nicest and most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me,” he spoke, the first tear sliding down his cheek. 

“If you cry, I’m gonna cry, Spence,” you laughed softly but your eyes were already on the verge of overflowing. 

He pulled you into his embrace once again and you nuzzled your face into his chest. 

“I love you so much, my sun,” he whispered into your ear. 

The dam broke and your tears of overwhelming love and happiness were absorbed into his sweater. 

“I love you too, Dr. Reid,” you smiled against his chest. 

-

“Spencer! They are going to be here in an hour! We need to put the finishing touches on our costumes! Chop chop!” you called out to him from the bedroom. 

You and Spencer had decided to host a halloween party for the BAU. You had his whole apartment decked out. An apple-bobbing station, fake bats hanging from the ceiling, Hocus Pocus playing on the TV, and enough candy to frighten any dentist. 

Hotch was bringing Jack and Penelope was bringing her niece, Sofia, since one of her step-brothers was traveling for work and she agreed to take her for the week. It worked out perfectly because now the kids had someone their own age to play with and go around Spencer’s apartment complex trick-or-treating. 

Derek was bringing his girlfriend of about a month, Savannah, and you were so excited to meet the woman who tied the Derek Morgan down. Emily had also asked if she could bring a date and you happily agreed. Although, she would not budge on giving any more details other than “just a girl I met at a bar a couple weeks ago”. 

However, before they all arrived, you and Spencer needed to finish putting on your costumes. You had decided to go with Frankenstein and his bride as a classic couples’ costume. 

“Come here,” you beckoned Spencer over and patted the bed for him to sit, “I need to put your makeup on.”

You accentuated his naturally dark eye bags with some black eyeshadow and drew fake stitches on his face and neck with your liquid eyeliner. 

You gave yourself a dramatic smokey eye and winged eyeliner. After you had finished drawing on your stitches in the mirror, you said “Oh! We should paint our nails black too!” 

Spencer smiled and nodded, overjoyed to have someone who got just as excited as him about Halloween. 

-

Spencer was lightly blowing on his nails to dry them quicker when a knock was heard from the door. 

“It’s open!” you chirped, “...if you dare…” you attempted to sound spookier. 

Spencer chuckled at your adorableness as he got up to greet the first of your guests. 

It was Hotch dressed as Superman and Jack in a Batman costume with lots of padding acting as fake muscles. 

“Trick or treat!” Jack beamed as Spencer grabbed the candy bowl and placed a handful of candy into his bag. 

“Oh thank goodness, we are safe. We have not one, but two superheroes in attendance at our party,” you placed your hand over your heart. 

Jack and Hotch entered the apartment and Jack gasped in awe at all the decorations. 

“Let me give you a haunted tour, buddy,” Spencer said, lifting Jack off the ground and up onto his shoulders. 

Before you even shut the door, you heard Penelope singing, “The princesses are here!”

Penelope was dressed as Elsa and Sofia was wearing an adorable little Anna costume while holding a stuffed animal, Sven the reindeer. 

“Your majesties...looking beautiful as always”, you bowed before them, giving a little curtsy. 

Spencer and Jack came back into the living room after finishing their tour. 

“Oh perfect, both little munchkins are here. Okay, pictures first to remember this cuteness and then we are off on our quest for candy,” Penelope chirped. 

You and Spencer were watching as Penelope and Hotch tried to get the kids to stay still for a photo. Spencer snaked his arm around your waist and looked down at you with a glint in his eyes, asking you a question without even saying the words. You responded by leaning your head on his shoulder and continuing to watch the kids pose for the picture. 

There was another knock at the door. 

“It’s open!” you yelled. 

Derek strolled in with Savannah on his arm. They were both wearing all black, Derek donning a leather jacket, jeans, and a form-fitting shirt and Savannah had on tight leather pants and a crop top with red high heels.

“Sandy and Danny from Grease?” Hotch asked with a chuckle. 

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” Derek repeated a line from the movie. 

“Alright my sweetnesses! I think we have enough photos to send to your dad, Sofia. Let’s get some candy!” Penelope exclaimed and the kids cheered, running towards the door which was now swinging open once again. 

“I brought booze!” Emily sang out as she entered with a pretty blonde woman by her side. 

“Ah perfect, now the party has finally started,” you laughed, taking the bottle from Emily to go pour her some. 

“Oh my god, you two are just so precious!” Emily said as you handed her a glass, “Let me take a picture.”

Spencer wrapped his arm around your waist and kissed your cheek as Emily held up her phone. 

She didn’t have to say “smile”, you already were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really enjoyed writing this chapter, it was so fluffy and perfect. i purposely left emily’s girlfriend rather open-ended so you could imagine jj or someone else but i don’t really plan on writing about them in much detail in the future. also, thanks for 100 hits!


	10. Chapter 10

You were handing a customer their bag and telling them to have a nice day when you heard another chime at the door. 

When you saw Spencer entering, your polite smile grew into a big genuine one. 

“I brought you lunch,” Spencer announced as he approached the counter with a big brown takeout bag. 

“Wow, you spoil me. Don’t tell my boyfriend,” you teased, giving him a peck. 

“Haha very funny, my love. I actually have a question for you,” Spencer responded. 

“Ask away, Dr. Reid,” you were already digging into the bag, pulling out some egg rolls.

“W-Would you want to come visit my mom with me? I was talking to Hotch and I have some vacation time that will expire if I don’t use it this month. I-It’s totally fine if you need to stay here and maintain the store though,” Spencer asked nervously. 

“Of course! I would love to meet your mom, Spence. I’ll just ask Candace if she would be okay with picking up some extra hours but I can just close a couple of days if I need to. A trip with you sounds amazing,” you earnestly replied to convey to him that this was something you actually wanted to do and not something you just felt obligated to do. 

“Oh, great! I was thinking next week because we could be there for Thanksgiving. I want to be back for our six month anniversary in two weeks. Speaking of which, can I plan the date for that evening? I have something in mind but I want it to be a surprise,” Spencer smiled. 

“Okay, love. I’m sure whatever it is will be wonderful. I know you have already told me the basics about your mom but you need to tell me every little detail now...likes, dislikes, favorite book, favorite movie, funny anecdotes...I really need her to like me,” you started nervously rambling. 

“Y/N, may I remind you that I write to her every single day and that you are my whole world so naturally you are my main topic. She already adores you,” Spencer leaned forward over the counter and kissed you.

“Yeah well, tell my anxiety that,” you chuckled but now you were overthinking everything from what outfit to wear to what you should talk about. 

He grabbed your fidgety hands which made you look up at him. 

“My love, I can assure you that there is no reason to worry,” he promised. 

“I am holding you to that, Dr. Reid,” your hands stopped shaking as much and your lips turned up at the corners. 

-

“Dr. Reid! It is lovely to see you again! Diana is having a really good day! She is so excited for your visit! She has been talking about it all week! You must be the famous Y/N?” the friendly nurse chirped. 

“Yes, that’s me,” you gulped and gave a polite smile. 

It was the most you could manage at the moment, you were just trying not to throw up from nerves.

“She’s in her room, whenever you are ready,” the nurse informed you both. 

“Thanks,” Spencer said and put his hand on your back, guiding you down the hall but stopping right outside the door. 

“I know you are nervous, my love, but trust me it will all be okay. I know you both well enough to know you will get along just fine,” Spencer stroked the back of your hand with his thumb to soothe you. 

You nodded, “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Hi mom!” Spencer smiled as he opened the door. 

“Spencer!” she ran over and encased him a big hug. 

Once she let go, she immediately turned to face you. 

“You must be Y/N,” she beamed. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,”

“Oh you can drop the formalities. Diana is just fine,” she smiled. 

You nodded and gave a soft smile, noticing the wall full of photos she had behind her. 

She followed your gaze and grinned. 

“I love when Spencer sends me pictures…especially when they are of the both of you, his smile is always brighter and his eyes have a certain twinkle to them,” she explains. 

You smiled, approaching the wall. Among the many old photos from Spencer’s childhood, you saw the photo of you both on Halloween that Emily took and one you took of Spencer in the pumpkin patch on his birthday.

“I knew Spencer sent you letters every day but I didn’t know he sent you pictures too,” you smiled at him. 

“This one is my favorite,” Diana pointed to a photo taken on your birthday hike. Spencer was giving you a piggyback ride and you both were in the middle of laughing. You had asked a random hiker to take the photo for you. 

“I like that one a lot too,” you agreed with her. 

“Mom, Y/N has been practicing her chess skills. Do you want to play a match with her while I go talk to your doctor? I am going to see if I can get you cleared so we can all go out to lunch together,” Spencer said, looking between you and her. 

You nodded reassuringly at him as if to say you would be fine on your own. 

“If you’re as good as your son, I’m in big trouble,” you joked. 

Diana chuckled and walked over to her table to retrieve the board. 

“So Spencer tells me you own a bookstore. What is your favorite book?” Diana asked as you both started to set up the pieces

“That is an impossible question!” you laughed, “can you at least give me a genre to narrow my options down?”

Spencer smiled as he gently closed the door, listening to the sweet sounds of the two most important people in his life getting along wonderfully for a moment more before walking back down the hall to the doctor’s office. 

-

“I’m telling you when you left to go to the bathroom at lunch, she literally threatened me to not mess this up. Her exact words were ‘Spencer Reid, I will be so mad at you if you let her get away.’” Spencer informed you. 

You laughed as you sipped your Coke. You were at a diner for dinner after spending the whole day with Diana. Spencer was adamant that she really did adore you and wasn’t just trying to be nice.

“Well good news for you, my love...I don’t plan on going anywhere,” you stated, popping another french fry into your mouth. 

“So what is there to do in Vegas other than gambling since you have been banned from all casinos,” you giggled. 

Spencer furrowed his brow and thought about it for a brief moment before his eyes lit up and a smile appeared across his face. 

-

“Woah,” you stated, looking up at the bright flashing ferris wheel in front of you. 

Spencer had the same look of childlike awe on his face as he grabbed your hand, interlocking your fingers. 

“Ever since I was little, I wanted to ride this but my mom wasn’t really ever up for bringing me and it’s not like I had a lot of friends to ask to go with me,” Spencer spoke softly. 

You felt so bad for him. You wish you could travel back in time and be his friend and kick all of his bullies’ asses. 

“We can go around as many times as you would like, Spence,” you kissed him and then pulled away, towing him to the line. 

The attendant opened the gate to the cart and you and Spencer piled in, sitting across from each other to keep the cart balanced. 

The ferris wheel made periodic stops to load and unload people until you and Spencer were at the very top. 

“You can see my old neighborhood from here,” he said, pointing far into the distance where the neon lights ended and the residential area began. 

He turned back to see you staring at him with a dopey grin. 

“What?” he chuckled. 

“Just admiring my perfect boyfriend. I love you,” you beamed. 

“I love you too...more than words could ever express,” he replied, leaning in for a kiss. 

-

Spencer was practically wiggling beside you in the line for ice cream. 

“Go to the bathroom, Spence. I can order for us,” you said. 

“You know one study found traces of seventy-seven thousand and nine hundred and ninety bacteria in a public restroom,” Spencer informed you. 

“Your bladder is going to burst. You can wash your hands two times and I have hand sanitizer in my purse,” you countered. 

Spencer sighed and headed for the bathrooms.

You ordered and waited by the pickup window for you and Spencer’s ice cream. You had just decided to buy one big sundae to split. 

“Hey there, pretty little thing,” something spoke from behind you. 

You stiffened. You did not know that voice and you weren’t inclined to interact with whoever its owner was. 

“Not interested,” you replied curtly, not even turning around. 

Now you were regretting telling Spencer he could wash his hands multiple times. 

You could feel him still lingering behind you so you reluctantly turned around, giving him the dirtiest glare you could muster. 

“I have a boyfriend and he is an FBI agent so I suggest you leave before-”

You felt someone snake their arm protectively around your waist. You looked up and saw Spencer, immediately relaxing a bit. 

“Richard?” Spencer asked. 

You furrowed your brow. How did Spencer know this creep?

“Oh my god, little Spencer Reid. How have you been? This kid was such a major dork in high school,” Richard was still attempting to talk to you as if it wasn’t obvious enough that you wanted nothing to do with him. 

“Wait, you’re an FBI agent? And this is your girlfriend?” Richard looked at you both incredulously. 

“Yes, I am an FBI agent and yes, she is my girlfriend,” Spencer said coldly, tightening his grip around you. 

“One large hot fudge sundae with rainbow sprinkles!” the employee pushed the bowl towards you. 

You thanked her and grabbed the bowl. You grabbed Spencer’s hand and led him to a table far away from Richard, purposely stepping on his foot as you walked by. 

“Let me guess, he was the cause of a lot of your problems in high school,” you growled. 

Spencer nodded solemnly. Even though you had your back to him, you could still feel Richard’s gaze on you both. 

“Spence, make out with me right now,” you whispered. 

“What?” he whispered back in between bites of ice cream. 

“I didn’t realize I needed to convince you. Trust me, just do it,” you responded. 

In an instant, his lips connected with yours, his arms pulling you closer. You could taste the leftover hot fudge from the sundae on his tongue. You wrapped your hands around the curly hair at the nape of his neck and gave a slight tug, eliciting a soft groan from him. When he eventually pulled away, he tugged your bottom lip in retaliation. 

You finally looked behind you, smiling when Richard was gone. 

“At least, I got the prettiest girl in the end though,” Spencer smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am debating writing a chapter about them visiting Y/N’s family and friends or not. i don’t really want to write out a bunch of details cause obviously everyone’s family is different and i kinda want to just do a quick summary of it so people can imagine their own friends/family if that makes sense


	11. Chapter 11

You woke up to someone loudly muttering curse words from outside the closed bedroom door. 

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Spencer exclaimed from the kitchen. 

You stretched your arms, inhaling deeply before sliding out from underneath the bed comforter. You slipped on one of Spencer’s navy blue cardigans and made your way out to the kitchen. 

The kitchen was an absolute mess. Remnants of batter on the counter. Dirty dishes stacked in the sink. 

Once Spencer heard your footsteps, he turned around guiltily. He had flour all over his face and a burnt, dense brick of something in his hand. 

“I was going to surprise you with breakfast for our anniversary,” he sighed, “but I accidentally added two cups of flour instead of half a cup.”

“Well, look on the bright side, now you have a paperweight for your desk,” you giggled. 

He looked down at the “muffin” in his hand, knocking it against the counter and chuckling when it made a sturdy banging noise. 

“I will make us some cinnamon rolls,” you said as you guided Spencer out of the kitchen and to the stool at the counter so he could watch you. 

“Happy six months, my love,” you kissed him. 

“At least let me clean up my mess and cut some fruit for us. I think I may be able to handle that,” he begged. 

“Okay fine, but I better not have to use the first aid kit on you,” you relented. 

Spencer made his way over to the sink and started cleaning dishes while you worked on mixing ingredients for the dough. 

-

“These are incredible, Y/N. How did you make them so soft and fluffy?” Spencer broke open his second cinnamon roll, looking at the sweet bread in awe. 

“I actually cut down the milk from the original recipe and add more butter instead,” you informed him. 

“You did a good job on the fruit too, love. Perfect, equal-sized pieces with no bodily harm done to yourself,” you joked, popping another strawberry into your mouth and smiling. 

“I’m not going to lie...it was a difficult feat but I persevered and now you can enjoy the fruits of my labor,” he smirked. 

“Should we give our gifts now?” you suggested since you both were finished with breakfast. 

“Sure!” Spencer said, getting up and walking to the bedroom with you following. 

He turned around and grinned, “Did you also hide yours in here?”

“Maybe…” you said. 

“Alright, give me a minute. I’ll get mine first. I don’t want to reveal my hiding spot for future use,” he kissed your forehead and disappeared behind the door. 

You heard some rustling before he emerged with a small pink box with a light blue bow on top. 

“Okay, my turn,” you giggled, entering the bedroom and going to your trusty hiding spot of your sweatshirt pile. 

You pulled out an equally small black box with a red ribbon tied around it. 

“You first!” you smiled as you reentered the living room, shoving the small gift into his hands. 

He smiled and carefully unwrapped the ribbon, opening the box. 

You had gotten him a silver pinky ring with yours and his initials engraved on the inside. 

“I thought it would be nice if you had a piece of me to carry with you everywhere you go,” you smiled softly. 

He slipped it on to his left hand and held his hand out, admiring it. 

“I love it,” he said, giving you a quick peck, “but you should know that I already carry you with me everywhere I go.”

He handed you his gift with a slightly shaky hand and a hesitant grin. 

It was a key. Another copy of the key you already have to his apartment. You looked up at him with a furrowed brow. 

“Move in with me,” Spencer spoke softly, “I didn’t know what to get you, nothing seemed good enough so I am giving you everything I own. Everything of mine is yours.”

Your eyes were glistening with tears. Spencer looked at you tentatively, trying to gauge your reaction. You gave him your answer as a passionate kiss. 

“Yes,” you muttered against his lips, “nothing would make me happier.”

He smiled against your lips, picking you up from the couch and bringing you to his...no...your bedroom. 

-

“We are going to look so good for our date tonight. Our skin will be glowing,” you stated proudly. 

You had convinced Spencer to do an avocado and honey face mask with you before you went on whatever date he had planned. You were in the bath, just enjoying the warm water and each other’s presence. 

You had your hair pulled back into a low bun with just a regular headband on but you made Spencer wear this ridiculous pink bunny ears headband you found. It was his fault for looking so adorable in it. 

The fifteen minute timer on your phone dinged, indicating you could take the masks off. 

“Okay, hold still,” you giggled as you held a damp washcloth up to his face. 

Spencer scrunched up his nose and let you gently wipe the gooey substance off his face. 

“Honey has several antioxidants that are great for reducing pores and eliminating blackheads. Avocado also has several benefits including reducing inflammation and moisturizing your skin,” Spencer informed you as he returned the favor, wiping your skin clean. 

“Feel,” you said, guiding his hand up to his cheek. 

“Wow, that’s surprisingly smooth,” he grinned, “we need to start doing this every week.”

-

You had bought a sage green satin midi dress with a slit down the side just for this evening. 

It was a little pricey but when you saw it in the display window for the little boutique across from your store you had to have it. 

You had your sun necklace on that Spencer had given you for your birthday, you hardly ever took it off. You slid on pale pink high heels and applied some light makeup before putting on some earrings and walking out the bedroom door. 

Spencer was in a full suit with a black blazer and dress pants, navy blue dress shirt, and a dark red tie. He switched his converse out for brown dress shoes which you told him was not necessary but he insisted. 

His eyes widened when he saw you and he froze in place. 

“My love, you look beautiful always but you look especially gorgeous tonight ,” Spencer continued to just stare at you from afar with his jaw slack. 

“Thank you. You don’t look too shabby yourself, Dr. Reid,” you approached him smiling, adjusting his crooked tie and patting his chest. 

“Let’s get going,” he smiled, taking your hand. 

-

Once you saw the tall glass dome building in your view, you gasped in delight. 

“Oh my god, I have always wanted to come here!” you squealed excitedly. 

The United States Botanical Garden. A huge greenhouse with multiple rooms to mimic various environments to foster more plants than you could ever imagine.

“Shouldn’t it be closed by now?” you questioned. 

“I called in a favor...well, lots of favors,” Spencer grinned, heading towards the door with you in tow. 

You entered into the tropical room with palm trees, colorful exotic flowers, and long vines creeping down from the ceiling. 

“Palm trees are a symbol for eternal life. Some can live for over a century depending on the species,” Spencer informed you.

You hummed in acknowledgment, leaning your head against his shoulder. 

“What’s that one?” you pointed to a white pinwheel-shaped flower with a bright yellow center. 

“The plumeria flower. It is grown naturally from Mexico to Brazil and the Caribbean. It represents love and new beginnings. In Hawaiian culture, if a woman wears the flower behind her left ear, it means she is in a relationship.”

“New beginnings, huh? Sort of like us moving in together,” you smiled up at him. 

“I would pluck one to put behind your ear but I don’t think the employees would appreciate my romantic gesture,” he smirked. 

Spencer led you to the final room you had left to visit. The room had a water fountain in the middle and was once again filled with lively foliage. As you took in the view, you noticed a blanket set up with a picnic basket, wine bottle, and a few lit candles placed on top. 

“Oh, you are too good to me, Spence,” you kissed him. 

“Not possible, you deserve the world, my sun,” he replied. 

You both sat in front of the water fountain, feeding each chocolate covered strawberries and drinking wine. 

“I know it’s only been six months but I don’t remember what my life was like without you. I don’t know what motivated me to get out of bed in the morning or come home at night,” Spencer spoke softly. 

“Before I met you, I thought I was happy but I was content at best. This,” you motioned between the two of you, “this is pure bliss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have actually been to the U.S. Botanical Garden and i highly recommend looking up pictures of it. anyways, i may not update tomorrow because the next chapter is big and i would rather write one really long chapter instead of leaving you on a cliffhanger.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i lied...this isn’t going to be a really long chapter because if i made it a really long chapter, it would be REALLY long. this doesn’t necessarily end in a cliffhanger but it doesn’t end on a good note like all the other chapters have so far.

Nearly six more months had passed, meaning your one year anniversary was fast approaching. You had moved into Spencer’s apartment with the help of Derek and Penelope and you loved living together. It meant you could spend every second with him when he wasn’t on a case. Since Spencer planned your six month anniversary, you said it was only fair you got to plan your one year. 

You had it all organized. You had booked tickets to Vegas without Spencer knowing. You frequently wrote to Diana after you had met her for the first time so she knew of your surprise trip. In addition to visiting Diana, you were going to rent a car and go to Great Basin National Park in Nevada to do some hiking and sight-seeing. You had already emailed Hotch and asked if Spencer could use some vacation time. Hotch said as long as the case was not of high priority. 

But, of course, the bad people of the world don’t stop just so you can spend a week on vacation with the love of your life. 

Three days before your anniversary and two days from your flight, Spencer got the call. A child abduction, which was considered high priority. Don’t get it wrong, of course you thought child abductions should be high priority and solved as fast as possible with as many hands on deck . You just wish your genius wasn’t needed to do it. 

“I’m so sorry but the case is only in Maryland so it’s local. Maybe I’ll be back before then,” Spencer was trying to cheer you up. 

He knew you weren’t mad at him, just merely upset with the circumstances. 

“Yeah,” you sighed, knowing the likelihood of them solving the case and being back for your flight that he didn’t even know about was minimal. 

“I have to go. I’ll call you with any updates. I love you,” he kissed your forehead, pulling you into a hug. 

“I love you too,” you spoke into his chest. 

-

“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I don’t think we are going to make it back for tonight,” Spencer apologized through the phone. 

You had canceled the Vegas trip without telling him and booked a dinner reservation instead, hopeful that he would make it back in time for that. You didn’t want to tell him of your original elaborate plan because you knew it would do more harm than good. He would just feel bad even though saving lives was a good excuse, at least in your books, for missing it. 

“It’s okay,” you were trying not to cry.

You just missed him so much and you were looking forward to spending the whole week with him. 

“No, it’s really not. I promise I will try to make this up to you when I get back.”

Now he sounded like he was about to cry. You heard Morgan saying something in the background on his end. 

He sighed, “I’ve gotta go. I’m so so sorry. Maybe get some takeout from the place down the street we like?” he suggested. 

You nodded, forgetting he couldn’t see you, “Okay. Love you.”

“Love you too, my sun.”

-

You awoke to a loud shattering noise coming from the living room. 

Maybe Spencer was home and accidentally bumped into something with the lights off?

You grabbed your phone but there were no new messages or calls from Spencer and he definitely would have told you if he was on his way home. 

You immediately called him, crawling under the bed. 

_This is Dr. Spencer Reid. I can’t come to the phone right now-_

You hung up, clearly not in the position to leave a long voicemail right now explaining your current situation so you texted:

_I think someone is in the apartment._

_I am really scared, Spence._

Another shattering noise. Okay, you weren’t just imagining things. Someone had definitely broken in. You dialed 911. 

“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator spoke. 

“My name is Y/N Y/L/N. Someone is in my apartment. I am hiding under the bed,” you whispered. 

Another shattering noise. 

“Please hurry,” you were softly crying. 

“Ma’am what is your address?”

The bedroom door whipped open. You were frozen in paralyzing fear. 

“Ma’am we have pinged your phone. A unit is on the way.”

You didn’t get the chance to respond. 

-

The whole team was confused. Randomly, the missing kid turned up at the precinct, completely unharmed. There were no witnesses and the kid could not describe the unsub because he wore a mask. The boy said he locked him in a room with plenty of food and water and even a TV and then drove him to the police station days later without ever laying a hand on him. 

Spencer left his phone charging when he was interviewing the child. When he returned to it, he realized that simple decision was the gravest mistake of his life. 

He tried calling you back but when it went to voicemail immediately, he was already collapsed on the floor in hysterics. 

Hotch, Emily, and Morgan came running in, concerned. 

“Reid, what’s wrong?” Emily asked. 

Reid gave his phone to Morgan who was the closest. 

“Y-Y/N” was all he could get out. 

“Okay, everyone let’s go. Morgan, call Garcia. We need the last ping on Y/N’s phone and her call log,” Hotch was already moving to the SUV. 

Morgan had to help Spencer off the floor who was still sobbing uncontrollably. 

Garcia called as soon as they were in the SUV. 

“The last ping on Y/N’s phone was at 11:38 p.m. which was 3 minutes after her call to Spencer,” Garcia stated solemnly. 

“Did she try to call anyone else?” Hotch asked. 

“Yes, after her call to Spencer, she called 911.”

“We need to hear that recording, Garcia,” Hotch sighed, knowing this wasn’t going to be good but it was necessary. 

“Sir, I don’t think that is the best idea,” Garcia was sniffling. 

“Play it,” Spencer begged, hoping this was all a bad dream and he would wake up in Y/N’s arms. 

_“911, what’s your emergency?”_

_“My name is Y/N Y/L/N. Someone is in my apartment. I am hiding under the bed.”_

_“Please hurry.”_

Spencer was sobbing even harder now. You had been so afraid and alone when he was meant to be by your side. 

_“Ma’am what is your address?”_

No response. 

_“Ma’am we have pinged your phone. A unit is on your way.”_

Then, he heard your scream just before the line went dead. It twisted his stomach into knots and he felt the bile rising up in his throat. 

He had her your laugh before, your excited rambling tone, your giggle, your mumbles into his chest, and even the occasional yell when he forgot to do the dishes before leaving for a case. But never your scream. 

-

They arrived back at the BAU in under two hours, having their sirens on the entire way. 

“Reid, your mom’s facility called asking if you are okay. They said you were supposed to visit today,” Garcia said, walking in to the round table room. 

“What?” Reid asked. 

“Y/N had booked you both a flight out there for the week. She emailed me to clear your time off but the child abduction was classified as urgent,” Hotch informed him. 

Spencer bolted out of the room, not wanting to cry in front of the team for the tenth time tonight. They were just trying to help but their looks of pity only reminded Spencer of the awfulness of the current situation. 

Spencer kicked the bathroom stall door as hard as he could and sunk down to the floor, not caring how dirty it was. 

Someone knocked gently at the bathroom door but Spencer just continued to cry. 

“Kid, it’s going to be alright. We will find her, okay?” Derek slightly pushed open the door. 

“Okay? How is any of this okay, Morgan? I am supposed to protect her but I couldn’t answer a fucking phone call to help save her life...on our goddamn anniversary no less,” Spencer yelled with watery eyes. 

“Well, you can help now. Come on, we are going to your apartment. The police have had it locked down since that first unit responded after the 911 call,” Morgan said. 

Spencer was already standing up, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his cardigan, and heading to the elevator. 

-

The lock on the apartment door was pried open. 

Every single picture of Y/N and Spencer hanging in the apartment was shattered. Your sun necklace must have been ripped off because now it laid on the floor among the shards of glass. Someone was clearly not a fan of your relationship. 

His heart lurched in his chest when he saw the writing in streaky bold red letters above the bed’s headboard. 

_I think it’s time for a visit, Spencie. Don’t you?_

Spencer ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet with the audience of the poor crime scene techs in there just trying to do their job. 

“Lab test results show it is blood but not Y/N’s,” Emily entered the bathroom, rubbing small circles on his back in an attempt to soothe him a little. 

“I have to go visit Cat,” Spencer gritted through his teeth.

“I know, I’ll come with you,” Emily replied. 

Spencer heaved again but nothing came up. His stomach was as empty as his heart was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are spicing up...i’m already working on the next chapter but it probably won’t be up tonight.


	13. Chapter 13

Spencer had his head leaning against the cool glass of the passenger side window of the SUV, he was remembering every little detail about you from the way your nose scrunched up when you were laughing really hard to how your eyes would light up whenever he started saying fun facts. He was unconsciously fiddling with the ring you had given him for your six month anniversary that he was basically a part of him now since he rarely took it off. 

“We’re here,” Emily spoke softly, snapping him out of his daze. 

The highest security women’s prison in the DC area. 

Spencer and Emily showed their badges to the guard at the door and the guard guided them to the interrogation room that Cat was already being held in.

“How are we doing this? Do you want me to go in alone and throw her off her game by not letting her see you?” Emily said, looking at Cat through the one-way mirror. 

“No, I’ve got to go in alone. Cat is obsessed with playing by the rules and she requested a visit from me only. This is the best chance we have at finding Y/N,” Spencer was looking down at his feet and taking deep breaths to stop the spinning of the world around him. 

He walked over to the door handle and took one more long inhale and exhale before swiftly opening the door. 

Cat smirked when she looked up at him. 

Spencer did not say anything, simply walking over to the table and sitting down in the chair across from her. 

She leaned in real close, “I want you to ask me how I did it,” she whispered. 

“How did you kidnap my girlfriend, Cat?” Spencer said flatly, just trying to play along and get Y/N back safely in his arms. 

She burst out laughing. Spencer’s jaw tightened and his fists clenched. This sick, horrible hell she was putting him through was amusing to her. 

“You know for a genius, you are pretty stupid. I thought you would’ve connected the pieces by now,” Cat stated matter-of-factly. 

Spencer furrowed his brow. What had he missed?

“Spencer, I didn’t just ruin your relationship. I started it too...for the sole purpose of destroying it later and breaking your heart into a million pieces.”

“Why?” Spencer was so confused. 

“I don’t know...I just get really bored in here and I need to find things to do to keep me entertained. Messing with the person who put me here seemed like a good start,” Cat grinned. 

“Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? Cat wants revenge on Spencie but Spencie is sad and lonely except for his Mommy. I thought about targeting your mom but it wasn’t good enough for me. I really wanted to make you hurt. I wanted to make you feel like you finally had someone real who understood you in every way and loved you unconditionally all for that to be ripped away from you,” Cat continued. 

“You framed Y/N for the murders?” Spencer was starting to fit the pieces together.

“That I did, Spencie. My associates helped me scope out the perfect girl for you that lives in the DC area. Y/N was an english major with a bookstore and no friends or family in the immediate area so she was also rather lonely. Seemed like a match made in heaven to me. Two nerds in love reciting poetry or whatever. So, I had one of my associates kill some men who were cheaters because I had to have my fun too, you know? They planted just enough evidence to make you bring her in but not enough to make the crime stick,” Cat explained. 

“And so I thought you would see her, fall in love with her beauty, and ask her out and my plan would be set, right? Nope because Spencer Reid didn’t grow a pair. I had to send a woman into her store to offer her an extra ticket to the foreign film festival you were going to.”

Spencer was baffled. The beginning of his whole relationship had been orchestrated by Cat. 

“What else did you do? I’m assuming there’s more,” he asked, trying to keep his voice monotonous. 

Cat grinned. She saw right through him. She knew just how much she was getting under his skin by being deeply involved in his love life. 

“But then you had to fuck it up again, Spencie, didn’t you? Oh boy, she was pissed at you. Spending your time in LA with a hot celebrity. Be honest, it went farther than a hug, didn’t it?”

“What? No. Absolutely not. No.” Spencer adamantly refuted the claim because it was the truth. Y/N was the only one for him. 

Cat smirked once again, “I know. I just like watching you squirm. Anyways, did you ever wonder how she knew to come to the hospital in Louisiana?”

“I assumed someone from the team called her,” Spencer said. 

“Wrong again, Doctor! She was called by one of my associates pretending to be a nurse from the hospital and they told her she was your emergency contact and informed her of your injury. I figured you would make up if she saw your pathetic ass lying in a hospital bed.”

“And finally, the big whammy. What I have been planning from the start. I wanted you to get completely comfortable around her and adjust your whole life to include her so that when I took her away, you wouldn’t know how to live anymore. I figured a year was the perfect amount of time,” Cat stated.

“Were you also responsible for the abduction case in Maryland as a distraction?” Spencer asked. 

“I don’t hurt children, that’s where I draw the line. But, I needed a case that would be high priority to get you to abandon her right before your big anniversary. I gave specific instructions to my outside partners to release the child back unharmed as soon as Y/N had been taken,” Cat gave a sickeningly sweet smile. 

“So where is she? How do I get her back?” Spencer desperately asked, losing his faux indifferent demeanor. 

“Oh honey, she’s already dead. Why would I even give you a chance to save her? I just didn’t want to leave her body because I didn’t even want to give you the closure of getting to bury her,” Cat declared. 

“No no no...she’s not dead...she can’t be dead,” Spencer was frantically shaking his head as he left the room. 

Once he shut the door, his legs stopped working and he collapsed to the floor, hyperventilating. 

“Look at me, Reid. Breathe in...and out…” Emily spent ten minutes trying to stabilize his breathing before calling the team and informing them. 

“We have to assume she is lying,” Hotch said, “she wants to see Spencer in agony but Cat’s victimology has been only men up until this point. She refused to harm a child so she may not hurt women either. I think Y/N may have a chance.”

-

You woke up in a bedroom but it wasn’t yours. 

There were no sentimental knick-knacks, no framed photos on the walls, and most importantly, no Spencer. 

There was however an attached bathroom, a TV, and a table with lots of prepackaged food and drinks on it. There was a suitcase with your clothes in it that you hadn’t unpacked from your cancelled Vegas trip. 

You pounded at the door. 

“Help!” you screamed. 

You heard footsteps approaching and immediately regretted your decision, backing up to the corner of the room. An iPad was shoved under the door with a video on the screen of a pale woman with dark brown hair. You pressed play. 

“Hi Y/N! I’m Cat Adams. I am not sure if Spencer has mentioned me but he put me here,” she turned the screen around to show a jail cell, her tone was rather light considering she was in jail and you were being held hostage. 

“Anyways, I had to use you for my little experiment on Spencer. What you felt for him was all a lie of my doing,” she began to explain every instance she formed and saved your relationship. 

“It has been my plan all along to take you away from him. But in all my planning over the year, I’m still not quite sure what to do with you. My only goal was to make Spencer suffer, you were simply a pawn in my game so I don’t have any malice directed towards you. So, I am giving you an opportunity to start over. If you can prove to me that you agree your relationship with Spencer was all a lie, then I will let you go. Luckily, being a good hitwoman has left me with a nice chunk of change that I stashed away so even the FBI couldn’t get a hold of it. You can fly away to Paris with enough money for you to start over but you will never contact Spencer again and I will have people watching to make sure of this. Unfortunately, you will have to die if you can’t promise me that,” Cat explained. 

“All you have to do is make an audio recording of yourself pretending to be in a lot of pain and tell Spencer this is all his fault. By this point, I have probably already told him you are dead but this will be a little cherry on top. So, do this and then you can be on your merry way. You have a day to decide,” the video ended. 

You had already decided. There was no way you were going to add to Spencer’s suffering by telling him it was his fault. You knew Spencer well enough to know that even if he knew it was under duress, he would take it to heart and beat himself up over it. 

Besides, you didn’t think you could go on living a fancy life in Paris without ever seeing Spencer again but knowing he was out there. So, you would stall until the time was up and pray to god the team didn’t believe Cat when she said you were dead. 

-

“We need to find Cat’s associates that were responsible for the earlier murders that Y/N was framed for and the child abduction,” Hotch spoke. 

“Well I’d say we are looking for at least two males. The abducted kid described a male captor and a male would be needed to carry Y/N out of her apartment discreetly especially if she was sedated, the deadweight would make her body heavier to lift. But there could be multiple partners at the break-in,” Morgan suggested. 

Spencer was staring at the evidence board pinned up in the round table room. He had not spoken since his interview with Cat but Morgan made him think of something. 

“Cat sent a woman into Y/N’s store to give her tickets to the foreign film festival...she must have bought something and Y/N has security cameras in her store,” Spencer spoke softly. 

“Garcia, we need that footage and credit card receipts of that day,” Hotch said. 

Garcia pulled up the feed of that day and projected it on to the screen, playing it on time-lapse. 

“Stop!” Emily said, seeing a woman chatting with Y/N and reaching into her purse. 

“She paid with cash but can we put her through facial recognition, Garcia?” Spencer said hopefully. 

“On it...okay that is Ms. Peyton Roberts, released about a year ago from Cat’s facility,” Garcia informed them. 

“Cross-reference her with all male guards at the facility. Cat must have someone on the inside to help her communicate to Roberts.”

“Two hits. Jason Smith and David Miller.”

“Okay, now see if any of them have rented any space in the D.C. area,” Hotch said. 

“Lucky for us, they weren’t betting we would connect them to it since Jason rented a cabin in Charlotte, Virginia with a credit card. It’s about an hour and a half drive. Addresses sent to your phones,” Garcia called out the last part because everyone was already running to the door. 

-

Now, a phone was slid under the door. 

“Have you made your decision?” Cat asked through the phone with a sickeningly sweet tone

“I won’t do it,” you spoke softly but surely. 

Your mind could not be changed. You would not add to Spencer’s suffering just so you could continue your life without him. 

Cat clicked her tongue, “Wrong choice but I do still have some sympathy for you so you are going to drink the cup of liquid that gets slid under the door. It won’t hurt at all but it shuts down your vital organs. If you try to pretend to drink it, spit it out, or refuse to drink it, we can do this the hard way and make things much more painful for you,” Cat explained. 

You sighed as a cup full of dark red liquid was pushed through the slot in the door. You held it up to your lips, blinking back tears. 

“It has to be this way, this is the right decision,” you whispered to yourself . 

You tipped the cup upwards and chugged the bitter liquid. 

“Sweet dreams, Y/N…” Cat hung up the phone. 

The poison had an immediate effect, you tried to get up to lie on the bed but your legs wouldn’t work. So, you lied on the floor, coughing and silently crying until your body felt cold and you closed your eyes and pictured Spencer. 

-

“FBI!” Morgan kicked down the door. 

The three partners were sitting around a table, dividing up a duffel bag of money. 

Spencer gulped. If they had been paid already, then the deed must have been done. 

One of the men tried to make a run for the back door but was promptly tackled by Morgan. Hotch and Emily had their guns trained on the woman and other man. 

Spencer ran to the closed bedroom door. 

“Reid, do not go in there,” Hotch shouted, unsure of what Spencer would find. 

Spencer unlocked the door despite Hotch’s protests. His heart sank when he saw a lifeless Y/N on the floor with an empty plastic cup next to her. 

“No no no. I NEED A MEDIC IN HERE NOW!” Spencer screamed, kneeling down beside you. 

He grabbed your hand, feeling the faintest pulse on your wrist. Your hand felt so cold. This couldn’t be the same hand Spencer had held many times before that was warm and comforting. 

The medics came and loaded up Y/N onto a stretcher, carrying her to an ambulance with Spencer yelling medical instructions at them in between sobs. 

On the way to the hospital, Y/N started seizing. Spencer tightened his hold on your hand. 

“Y/N, I don’t know if you can hear me but I just need you to know you are the bravest, strongest, most amazing person that I have had the absolute honor of knowing. I love you so much, my sun,” Spencer whispered into your ear, brushing the hair out of your face and placing a soft kiss against your forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop, there it is.


	14. Chapter 14

The room you were in felt slightly warm. Was this the afterlife? You doubted the afterlife had annoying ass beeping monitors. 

You slowly opened your eyes, adjusting the brightness of the room. Spencer was in the seat right next to the bed, flipping through “War and Peace”. He had not noticed you had woken up yet. You tried to talk but your throat was so scratchy, it ended up being a cough. His eyes flicked up and widened, he tossed the book to the side.

“Hey I’m right here, Y/N. I’m right here. You’re okay. I’m not going anywhere,” he handed a glass of water and grabbed your hand, squeezing it with a smile. 

You slowly took a sip, cringing as you remembered the last thing you drank. 

“It was all a lie…” you spoke softly and started to tear up. 

Spencer furrowed his brow, “What?”

“Don’t you get it? It’s all been a lie, Spence. Since the moment we met, our entire relationship has been founded on a carefully crafted lie and since then, we have been tricked into thinking this was love...but maybe that was a lie too,” you trembled. 

Spencer was shaking his head profusely as you were talking. 

“You don’t mean that,” his eyes were starting to water as well. 

“This relationship would not have happened or continued if some sick, twisted cupid wasn’t watching our every move,” you snapped back. 

“Y/N, I don’t care how we started. I love you and you love me. She didn’t force us to love each other. She simply brought us together,” Spencer insisted. 

“Spencer, would you have ever asked me out if I didn’t show up at the film festival or would you have just moved on?” you inquired. 

“Would I have even forgiven you if I wasn’t called by her saying you were in the hospital?” you continued. 

“Y/N please-” he begged. 

“Spencer, we would never even have known about each other if a serial killer didn’t have a grudge against you,” you sobbed. 

“BUT ALL THOSE THINGS DID HAPPEN,” Spencer raised his voice, not angrily but in an attempt to get his point across. 

“Predestination is the belief that no matter what you do in life, your fate has already been chosen. Y/N, you are my fate. I believe there is no alternate reality or decision I could have made differently that would have kept me away from you. You are my everything. You are my sun. So I am begging you to believe me when I say our love is the realest thing I have ever known. Please do not doubt that,” Spencer pleaded. 

“Can you just give me a minute to process please, Spence?”

Spencer nodded solemnly, wiping his tears on his sweater sleeve and exiting the room. 

You cried for a while before falling back asleep. 

-

This time when you awoke, it was a couple hours later and Morgan was next to your bed, scraping the last bits out of a Jell-O cup. 

“Hi Derek,” you smiled softly. 

“Hey, sleeping beauty,” he grinned. 

“Where’s Spence?” you asked. 

“I made him go back to your apartment and take a shower and change his clothes. Kid was starting to reek but he refused to leave your side the whole time you were still out. The only way I got him to leave was to promise to stay here the whole time and send him text updates every ten minutes which so far have included ‘sleeping’, ‘sleeping’, and ‘still sleeping’.”

You laughed slightly at that before your face fell again and you nervously fiddled with your fingers. He spent days waiting for you to wake up and when you finally did, you treated him like shit. 

“He really loves you, you know? That kid is a germaphobe but would still gladly kiss the ground you walked on,” Morgan continued. 

“Can you tell him I want to talk?” you spoke quietly. 

There was a quiet knock at the door and Spencer poked his head in. Morgan got up and gave you a quick hug before leaving the room to give you some privacy. 

“Hey,” Spencer hesitantly stepped into the room. 

You immediately broke down crying, “I’m so sorry, Spence.”

He briskly walked over and encased you in his arms. You melted into his warm embrace. God, how you missed his touch. 

“I love you so much and I am so sorry for doubting that for even a second. You’re right, Cat may have manipulated the situation at times but she couldn’t control our feelings. They are very real...this is very real,” you looked up at him. 

Spencer kissed you with all his energy, hoping to show you all his love and admiration for you through the action. 

“I love you too, my sun,” he whispered as he pulled away momentarily before returning his lips to their rightful place, on yours. 

-

Morgan and Garcia came to check on you both twenty minutes after Spencer had entered the room. 

You were both squeezed on to the tiny hospital bed. You were enclosed in Spencer’s arms because he feared if he let go for a second, he would lose you again. You were snuggled into his chest and Spencer had his chin resting on top of your head. You both had faint smiles on your faces as you peacefully slept.

“Oh thank god! All is right in the world again!” Garcia exclaimed. 

“Cheers to that,” Morgan said, clinking his Jell-O cup with Garcia’s. 

Garcia pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the adorable scene in front of her. 

-

“Y/N Y/L/N, you are going to sit in this wheelchair or I’ll make you stay here another week,” Spencer scolded.

“Spence, I was poisoned, not shot. My stomach has been pumped. I am fine,” you insisted. 

“Did you not listen to the doctor at all? You have another week of bed rest at home. Yes, the poison is out of your system now but your internal organs are still recovering from the damage,” Spence reminded you. 

“Fine,” you slid out of bed and hobbled over to the wheelchair in front of Spencer. 

“Also, you know you don’t have to take the whole week off just to keep me company while I’m laying in bed, right?” you said. 

“Too bad, my love. I have already cleared it with Hotch and I am taking two weeks off because once you are better, we are going to Vegas,” he stated. 

You squealed with excitement as he pushed you out of the hospital. 

“But only if you don’t resist bed rest,” Spencer said. 

“Hmm you drive a hard bargain, being in bed with you taking care of me for a week in order to get to go on vacation with you for another week. You’ve got yourself a deal, Doctor,” you grinned and gave him a peck as he helped you get into your car to go home. 

Since Caroline had graduated from college, you promoted her to manager so you didn’t have to worry about the store in your absence thanks to her. 

“I am the lucky one,” he smiled as he gently shut the passenger side door and made his way to the driver’s side. 

-

“Love, could you please get me a tea with honey?” you shouted from the bedroom. 

“Coming right up!” Spencer called back. 

You hated asking Spencer to do every little thing for you but he didn’t seem to mind and every time you tried to get up, he would scold you and guide you back to bed. He really was the sweetest boyfriend you could ever ask for. He was consulting on cases remotely this week but next week, he had the whole week off with no work. 

“Here you go,” he came into the room with a Doctor Who Tardis mug in his hands. 

“Thank you, Spence,” you leaned up to give him a kiss. 

You attempted to deepen the kiss but he pulled back after a few seconds. 

“Y/N…” he warned. 

You whined. 

“You know you aren’t cleared for that. Please don’t make this hard for me,” Spencer reprimanded you. 

“Make what hard for you?” you smirked, glancing down. 

He rolled his eyes with a smile. 

“This is so unfair. They can’t put me in a boring bed for a week and expect me not to do anything when I have the best boyfriend in the world,” you pouted. 

“Three more days,” Spencer placed a kiss on top of your head and left the room to finish up his work for the day. 

-

You and Spencer had your avocado and honey face masks on again and you were lounging in bed. The pink bunny ears headband had made its reappearance. You thought Spencer was starting to like it as much as he didn’t want to admit it. 

You left for Vegas tomorrow morning because that is when your doctor cleared you from bed rest. 

“I can’t believe you haven’t ever seen Clueless before,” you popped a piece of popcorn into your mouth and pressed play on the remote. 

“My movie knowledge is mostly limited to foreign films and adaptations of novels I have read. I never related to the high school aspect of teen pop culture movies,” Spencer explained. 

You frowned, remembering he never got to have a normal high school experience. 

You picked up another piece of popcorn and plopped it into his mouth. He smiled and chewed it as you rested your head on his shoulder. 

“Once this movie is over, we are going straight to bed. We have an early flight...plus I have big plans for us in the morning when your clearance has finally been granted,” Spencer whispered into your ear. 

You hummed in content. 

“Now that is something I will get up early for,” you giggled. 

-

You had just gotten back to the hotel after spending the whole day with Diana. You both decided not to tell her what had really happened because it may agitate her so you just said Spencer was working a case in Alaska and was gone for a while. 

Spencer laid down on the bed, exhausted, wrapping you in his arms and pulling you down with him. 

You giggled and nuzzled into his chest, waiting for his breathing to even out. Then, you slowly unwrapped yourself from his arms and got out of bed. 

You left a note on your pillow:

Meet me at 6:45 at 54 Barrington Drive. Dress up. 

Love,  
Your sun

You giggled excitedly to yourself, grabbing the formal dark purple maxi dress you brought as part of your plan and slipping out of the hotel room. 

-

When Spencer awoke to the distinct lack of warmth in his arms, his eyes shot open. 

Panic coursed through his veins until he saw the note placed on your pillow. After he read it, he smiled. He did a quick profiling of the note and it was definitely your handwriting and there was no shakiness to the letters or added pressure indicating stress. 

He glanced at the clock. It was 6:00 so he got out of bed and started getting ready. When it got to choosing his tie, he noticed the purple one was prominently placed in front. 

He headed out to get a cab because Y/N had taken the rental car with her. He hopped in, giving the driver the address. 

As the cab pulled up to the destination, Spencer realized this was his old high school. He furrowed his brow. He thanked the driver, paying and exiting the vehicle. 

He saw some light coming from the basketball court in the distance so he made his way over. 

There was soft music playing and white string lights hung on the fence. You were fiddling with the speaker when Spencer approached. You looked absolutely stunning. Even more so when you looked up at him and smiled brightly. 

“What is all this?” Spencer chuckled. 

You grabbed a small plastic container and made your way over to him. 

“Spencer Reid, will you go to prom with me?” you smiled, opening the box to reveal a boutonnière matching the corsage you had on your wrist. 

“It would be my honor,” Spencer replied as you pinned the boutonnière to his blazer. 

“Oh good! You chose the tie to match my dress. I placed it in front hoping it would catch your eye,” you smiled. 

Spencer looked around the basketball court in awe. During his high school years, he avoided this place at all costs because of the jocks who would hang out here. But with Y/N by his side, he wasn’t afraid any more. 

“I figured you should have at least one nice high school experience,” you spoke softly. 

“I love it and I love you even more. You look breath-taking by the way,” Spencer replied. 

Pretty Boy by The Neighbourhood came on over the speakers. 

“Dance with me,” you held out your hand.

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Spencer accepted your hand, pulling you close. 

You danced along slowly to the song. As the end of the song neared, Spencer started to get increasingly nervous. His hands were sweating and his throat felt like it was closing up. It had to be now. Now was perfect. 

As the song ended and you pulled away, Spencer cleared his throat. You looked up at him. 

“I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it a million more, you are my sun. Without you, my life would be consumed with darkness. You manage to fend off every bit of that with your laugh, your smile, your caringness, just every single aspect of you in general. When you were taken away from me, it felt like I couldn’t breathe. The world didn’t seem to have a purpose to me anymore if I didn’t have you by my side,” Spencer reached into his pocket and proceeded to kneel.

You clasped your hand over your mouth with tears falling down your face. 

“Will you make me the luckiest man in the whole world by marrying me?” Spencer opened the box, revealing a gorgeous silver engagement ring with a princess-cut diamond in the middle and a few smaller diamonds lining the band. 

“Yes, yes, oh my god, yes! I love you,” you laughed as you cried tears of joy. 

Spencer scrambled to get up as you pulled him in for a kiss. He slipped the ring on to your finger and pulled you back in for another kiss. 

“I was considering doing it on the ferris wheel but looking back on it now, I wouldn’t have been able to kneel and the periodic stops and overall smells and sounds of downtown Vegas may have made it slightly less romantic,” he chuckled, “thankfully, I just had a feeling and took it with me tonight.”

“I don’t care how you would have done it. It would have been perfect and my answer would not have changed,” you smiled, admiring the ring. 

“Mrs. Y/N Reid. I think I could get used to that,” you said. 

“It does have quite the ring to it, doesn’t it?” Spencer agreed. 

“How about one more high school experience, Spence?” you asked. 

Spencer furrowed his brow. 

“Let’s go fool around in the car and hope we don’t get caught,” you grinned, grabbing his hand and interlocking your fingers.


	15. Chapter 15

A knock sounded from the door.

“I’ve got it!” Spencer called out, walking towards the door from the bedroom where he had been getting changed. 

You were stirring the pasta you made to go with the chicken parm that was cooking in the oven. You had decided to invite the whole team over for dinner so you could tell them the exciting news together. 

Spencer had told you how tough it was to keep it a secret because he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. But, you really wanted to tell them all together and getting them to all have an opening in their limited free time was tough. Luckily, tonight had worked for everyone’s schedules. 

You and Spencer went to visit your friends and family back in your hometown to tell them the big news. They were obviously ecstatic. Spencer had already met all of them before multiple times whether it was over facetime calls or in person. 

Spencer swung open the door to reveal Penelope. 

“Hello, my fine furry friends,” she squealed, “Y/N, it feels like I haven’t seen you in forever. I keep telling Reid that he’s hoarding you all to himself. He needs to share all of your beautiful goddess radiance with the rest of us.”

You laughed, “I missed you too, my fellow goddess,” you took off your dirty apron to give her a hug. 

Slowly but surely, the rest of the crew arrived. Hotch next, then Emily, and finally Morgan with Savannah. Emily had said her girlfriend couldn’t make it but she seemed happy nonetheless. 

Hotch helped you set the table as Spencer went around pouring people’s drinks. You tossed the salad and set it on the table, filling the last empty spot among all the other plates of food. 

“Looks absolutely delicious, Y/N. Thank you,” Emily smiled. 

Everyone else nodded in agreement. 

“Of course, anything for you guys...but um there’s actually a reason that we invited you guys over,” you grabbed Spencer’s hand, squeezing it in order to tell him to continue.

Penelope squealed excitedly, “Okay if this is either one of two things I’m thinking of, everyone cover their ears because I’m going to get a lot more high-pitched.”

“Y/N and I are getting married,” Spencer blurted out with a smile erupting on his face. 

You revealed the ring on your finger that you had been carefully hiding in oven mitts, your pockets, or behind your back since everyone arrived. 

Penelope screamed in delight as Spencer picked you up, twirling you a few times before kissing you. 

“That feels so good to say out loud,” Spencer happily sighed. 

“How long have you been hiding this from trained profilers,” Hotch asked with an amused look. 

“Since we got back from Vegas so...two weeks,” Spencer proudly informed them.

“If I wasn’t so happy with the news, I would be mad at you for keeping this from me, Boy Wonder,” Penelope fake pouted. 

“We wanted to tell you all at the same time,” you explained. 

“Congratulations to the happy couple,” Morgan toasted. 

Everyone picked up their glasses and toasted. All eyes were on you and Spencer so you were the only one who noticed Savannah brought the cup of wine up to her lips but did not sip. Your smile became even wider. 

“Y/N, you are going to make a GORGEOUS bride,” Emily exclaimed. 

“Wedding binders! Oh my god! I’m on it. Consider it done,” Penelope was speaking so fast that her words were jumbling together. 

“Penelope, I feel like this would be a good time to ask...will you be my maid of honor?” you asked with a grin, already knowing her answer. 

“Chocolate thunder, please brace me. I am about to faint from a happiness overload. This day could not get any better,” she was already out of her seat on her way to hug you. 

She crashed into you and you happily accepted her into your arms. 

“An increase in endorphins can not cause you to pass out. Are you feeling faint? Maybe you should sit back down. I’ll get you some ice water,” Spencer said, concerned. 

“I am all set, the Good Doctor, but thank you for your concern,” she smiled at Spencer while still wrapped in your arms.

“I figured my maid of honor needed to be close to me so we could plan everything and go shopping but my best friend back home will be a bridesmaid as will you two, Emily and Savannah,” you beamed. 

“Aw, let me join the hug then,” Emily stood up and made her way over with Savannah right behind her. 

You had formed an immediate friendship with Savannah as it was clear you both were around for the long haul and Spencer and Morgan were best friends. You would often have movie nights when they were away on a case and Penelope would join when she wasn’t needed at the office. You would also have girls’ nights so Emily could join in on the fun too. 

Derek was already grinning like a fool when Spencer made eye contact with him. 

“Morgan, will you be my best man?” Spencer braced himself for the heavy hug that was coming. 

“Pretty boy is going to have the best bachelor’s party ever!” Morgan pulled Spencer in for a hug. 

“Hotch, I am going to need you to supervise the bachelor’s party planning. Oh and you’re a groomsman too,” Spencer added with a smile. 

“I will make sure it is nothing too crazy,” Hotch assured him. 

“I wrote a letter to Gideon asking if he would be one too but he hasn’t responded yet. My childhood friend, Ethan, has already accepted,” Spencer informed them. 

“Well that cabin is pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe the letter hasn’t even gotten to him yet,” Emily offered. 

“Yeah maybe,” Spencer sighed. 

“Alright, let’s eat before the food gets cold,” you said, attempting to steer the conversation to a lighter topic. 

Spencer had already told you all about Gideon and his abrupt departure from the BAU. You hoped he would respond to Spencer’s letter. It was clear he meant a lot to him and you wanted him to be there in support of Spencer on your big day. 

As you all started to serve yourselves food, you regaled them of the story that led to Spencer proposing on a high school basketball court. 

-

The BAU was away on a case when you knocked on the wooden door. 

Savannah opened the door, “Y/N? Did I forget about a movie night we had planned?”

“No, I just was in the neighborhood...wondering if there was anything you wanted to inform me of, my dear. I also wanted to give you some of these chocolate chip cookies Spence and I made...thought you might be craving something sweet,” you hinted. 

“Unbelievable. We were in a room full of profilers and you figured it out first,” she laughed. 

“I KNEW IT!” you hugged her, restraining yourself from giving a big tight hug due to the confirmation of the good news. 

“Does Derek know?” you asked. 

“Not yet. I don’t know how to tell him. We hadn’t really discussed if this was something we wanted,” Savannah explained. 

“Well, I see the way he looks at you and I see the way he plays with Jack. This will be good news for him, trust me,” you assured her. 

“Okay, I’ll tell him as soon as he gets back from the case,” Savannah promised herself. 

“Now that you’re already here. Movie night?” Savannah asked, sitting down on the couch. 

“Absolutely,” you plopped down right next to her. 

-

“Y/N!” Spencer came running into your apartment, “you’ll never guess what Morgan just told me...SAVANNAH IS PREGNANT!”

“Oh my god! That is so exciting!” you were trying your hardest to act surprised. 

“You already knew?” Spencer was amused. 

“I was the first to know actually. Figured it out all by myself too, Dr. Reid,” you giggled. 

“We are going to have to hire you at the BAU and have you replace me as the resident genius,” he joked, kissing you. 

“We’ve never talked about it out loud but that’s something you want, right? Kids?” you spoke softly. 

“A bunch of mini you and me’s running around? Nothing would make me happier, my sun,” he responded with a smile. 

“Good. Me too,” you nuzzled into his chest as he hugged you. 

Both of you silently imagining your future with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for this fic, let’s pretend spencer and ethan are just childhood friends and nothing more cause i needed people to fill up spencer’s groomsmen party and it would be kinda awkward if the groom and a groomsman had sexual tension.


	16. Chapter 16

“Okay, on three. Say the one you like. One, two, three,” Penelope counted. 

“Chocolate,” Spencer stated. 

“Vanilla,” you said at the exact same time. 

Penelope sighed, banging her head against the clipboard. 

“We have already been through the appetizers, the entrees, the centerpieces, the name tags, and invitation designs. Please, for the love of god, work this out quickly. I am exhausted,” Penelope sat down dramatically. 

“We can have chocolate cake,” you said to Spencer. 

“No, we can have the vanilla, I insist. You let me choose the main course,” Spencer kissed you as a way of confirming the compromise. 

Penelope checked off a section on her clipboard, “Look at that teamwork! This is why you make an amazing couple. Now, I have had enough wedding talk for the week. Y/N, I will meet you at my place bright and early next Saturday morning.”

You nodded excitedly. You were picking out a wedding dress as well as the bridesmaid dresses at this cute little shop about an hour away. 

-

“Bye, love. I’ll be back after lunch,” you kissed the top of Spencer’s head while he was reading on the couch. 

“Have fun choosing a dress to become Mrs. Reid in,” he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close to him. 

“As excited as I am, the dress doesn’t really matter...only you and me,” you mumbled into his chest. 

“You and me forever, my sun,” he replied, planting a kiss on your forehead. 

“Okay, I’ve really got to go or Penelope will kill me,” you giggled, pulling away. 

-

“Come out already! You’ve been in there for like twenty minutes,” Emily laughed. 

“It’s not my fault, these dresses weigh like fifty pounds and there’s about a hundred different layers of fabric to sort through. I couldn’t find the arm hole for a while,” you shouted back. 

“Do you need help in there?” Savannah offered. 

“No, I’m not about to send the pregnant lady into this minefield. I’m ready now,” you replied. 

Savannah was starting to show already. She had the cutest little bump sticking out from right above her leggings. 

“Let’s see it!” Penelope cheered. 

“Okay...but I’m not too sure about this one,” you stated as you came out. 

“You look gorgeous as always but it doesn’t feel very you,” Emily said and the others nodded their heads in agreement. 

You were wearing a strapless mermaid dress with lots of frill at the very bottom. 

“Yeah, I don’t think this is the one. I kinda want something that screams I am getting married but is still elegant at the same time. Luckily, I saved my favorite pick for last,” you smiled. 

“Penelope, I could use your assistance because this one is even bigger,” you giggled. 

“Maid of honor reporting for duty,” she jokingly saluted at you. 

When you finally got the last dress on with the help of Penelope, everything about it just felt right. The dress was an A-line gown with a deep V-neck. The sleeves and bodice of the gown were made from intricate floral lace. At your waist, the dress transitioned into tulle that was not too poofy but gave you a little extra volume. The fit felt almost perfect besides a few small alterations. It was sure to make Spencer drool. 

“Oh my dear,” Penelope was tearing up. 

You both were crying and laughing in the dressing room. 

“Everything alright in there, ladies?” Emily called out. 

“Yeah,” you sniffled, “We are pretty sure this is the one.”

“Prepare yourselves to sob,” Penelope warned. 

Penelope opened the door for you as you strolled out to the little stage. 

“Oh, that’s definitely the one,” Savannah agreed. 

“Now this one feels very you,” Emily smiled. 

-

“I am home, love! I brought you lunch leftovers,” you called out as you opened the door. 

No response. 

“Spencer?” you repeated, heading to the bedroom. 

You carefully opened the door to see Spencer laying on the bed reading a piece of paper. 

“Jesus, you scared me,” you sighed. 

He looked up at you with a furrowed brow. 

“Oh sorry, I didn’t even hear you,” he said softly. 

“What’s wrong?” you peeled off your shoes and made your way over to the bed. 

“Gideon responded. He said he would be happy to come. He wants to meet for dinner before the wedding,” Spencer stated. 

“That’s good, right?” you asked, curling up next to him. 

“Yes, this is what I wanted. I’m just not exactly sure what to say to him after all these years,” Spencer explained. 

“Maybe don’t talk about him leaving if he doesn’t bring it up. I know it’s a very sensitive topic to everyone. You could just fill him in on everything he missed while he was away like Savannah being pregnant, Jack going into third grade, us getting married,” you smiled. 

“Good idea. How did dress shopping go?” he asked, returning your smile. 

“Great! I found the perfect dress and Penelope offered to store it at her place so you could not sneak a peek,” you grinned. 

“Emily may have already sent me a picture of her and Savannah sobbing with the caption ‘your almost-wife is too pretty’,” he laughed, “even though I haven’t seen the dress yet, I concur with that statement.” 

“I brought you home some chicken broccoli alfredo from lunch. I left it on the counter,” you rested your head on his chest. 

“I love you and I can not wait until ‘almost-wife’ becomes just ‘wife’,” Spencer wrapped his arm around you. 

“My husband, Spencer...Spencer, my husband. Just testing it out,” you giggled. 

-

“Spence, it’s still twenty minutes before he is supposed to get here. Please come relax and take a seat,” you urged. 

Spencer was standing right by the door, nervously fiddling with his hands. 

“Gideon is always early,” Spencer stated. 

“Well I don’t think he would mind waiting a few seconds for you to get up and open the door but suit yourself,” you replied. 

In perfect timing, there was a knock on the door. Spencer’s eyes looked to you and widened in fear. 

“Okay, hey it’s okay. It’s just Gideon. You know him,” you took off your apron and walked over to the door, grabbing his hand. 

You opened the door to find a smiling man with big bushy eyebrows, gray hair, and kind eyes.

“Gideon,” Spencer faintly smiled. 

“Spencer, I’ve missed you,” he spoke. His voice sounded full of wisdom. 

“You must be Y/N,” Gideon directed his gaze towards you, outstretching his hand. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” you smiled, shaking his hand while your other hand was still interlocked with Spencer’s. 

“Please come in. Dinner is almost ready,” you gestured into your apartment. 

“Thank you, my dear,” Gideon followed you to the living room. 

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Spencer asked. 

“I’ll have a water please,” Gideon kindly replied. 

Spencer squeezed your hand and then let go to get Gideon a water from the kitchen so you were left in silence with him in the living room. His gaze pierced into you as if he was trying to judge if you were good enough for Spencer just by how you sat. You shifted uncomfortably. 

“Um how was your ride up here?” you asked. 

“Quite fine. I enjoy driving from time to time. I hardly leave my cabin,” he said. 

“That’s good,” you smiled, dreading the silence that was going to fall over you both once again. 

Spencer returned with a glass of water and gently placed it in front of Gideon on the coffee table. He then took the seat beside you on the couch and across from Gideon who had seated himself in the loveseat. 

“So tell me about you guys. Spencer gave me the basics but I want to know everything,” Gideon smiled. 

You looked at Spencer, unsure of what he had mentioned especially about how you met. 

“Not the unfortunate stuff, Spencer already informed me of that. I want to hear all about the good things,” he clarified. 

“Oh, Spence! Where is that scrapbook I gave you for your birthday?” I want to show him that!” you grinned. 

“On the bedroom bookshelf, my love. Top shelf,” he answered and you excused yourself to go retrieve it.

Spencer’s eyes followed you until you had left the room. Gideon smiled at that. 

“She’s a good one, I can already tell. Not that you need my blessing but you have it nonetheless,” Gideon said, returning Spencer's gaze to him. 

“Thank you. That means a lot to me. She’s my everything...she’s my sun,” Spencer smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so excited for the next chapter. i have already started writing it and oh my god it’s so cute.


	17. Chapter 17

“I want to watch The Breakfast Club,” you stated, turning on the TV.

“I hate to pull the ‘I’m pregnant’ card but this baby has been kicking my ass all day and I want to watch Mean Girls,” Savannah replied, snatching the remote from your hands.

“Ugh, fine. Only cause your baby is going to be super cute though,” you whined.

You were at Derek and Savannah’s house for a movie night because the BAU had been on a case for a little over a week and you both were getting lonely.

As the Plastics were being introduced on screen, the doorbell rang.

“Pizza’s here,” Savannah started getting up but you stuck your arm out to stop her.

“Stick back down and enjoy your movie. I will get it,” you grabbed your wallet and headed to the door.

“One large extra meat pizza and one small cheese pizza. That will be sixteen dollars and twenty eight cents,” the pizza delivery guy said.

You paid and took the pizzas inside.

“Just cheese for you?” Savannah asked.

“Yeah, my stomach has been feeling a little weird today,” you replied.

“Normally, I don’t eat too much meat but this baby has been craving it so much this week like my mouth is drooling just smelling it,” Savannah opened the pizza box and you were immediately hit with a strong whiff of the greasy mixture of meat.

Your face went pale and you ran to the bathroom with your hand clamped over your mouth, getting there just in time to empty your stomach into the toilet.

“Y/N, are you alright? If you told me that you didn’t like meat that much, I could have eaten in the kitchen,” Savannah looked very concerned.

“That has never happened to me before,” you said, still leaning over the toilet bowl.

“Y/N…” Savannah started, “The same thing happened to me with anything garlicky at the beginning of my pregnancy.”

You looked up at her with your jaw slack. You and Spencer hadn’t really been trying but you both knew it was something you wanted.

“Can we go to the store?” you spoke softly.

“Of course, sweetie. I need more ice cream anyways. I’ll drive whenever you’re ready,” Savannah rubbed circles on your back soothingly.

-

You grabbed three of the most expensive pregnancy tests that had the most accurate results because you didn’t have time to play games here.

You met Savannah in the ice cream aisle. She already had about fifteen pints of ice cream of various flavors in her cart.

“Can you get me a moose tracks?” you said, placing the tests into the cart.

Savannah smiled and put two into the cart. You gave her an amused look.

“What? They are having a sale,” she grinned.

You laughed as you made your way to the checkout counter with the poor teenage boy cashier who had to basically ring up the entire ice cream inventory.

“This is something you want, right?” Savannah asked as you were loading the bags into the back of her car.

“Yeah, Spence and I have discussed it and it’s both something we want but we weren’t really trying so it’s just a little unexpected. However, it would be good news,” you smiled softly.

As soon as you arrived home and helped Savannah with the bags, you made a beeline for the bathroom with the tests. You chugged an entire water bottle on the way back so you were all ready to go.

You thought about waiting for Spencer to get home but you didn't know how much longer he would be away for and your mind would not stop going a million miles per hour. You needed an answer now. Plus, you didn’t want to get his hopes up if it ended up being a false alarm.

“Y/N, I’ll be in the living room. Come out whenever you’re ready. You don’t need to tell me anything,” Savannah called out from the kitchen.

You did your business and washed your hands, placing all three of the tests on the end of the sink. You set a timer on your phone for three minutes and just sat there. You couldn’t think or do anything else because everything was going to be different depending on the results even if it would be for the better.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

You were snapped out of your daze and you turned your phone alarm off quickly. You cautiously peered over the sink. Your heart felt like it was going to burst out of your chest.

Two lines. Positive.

Holy shit. You were pregnant.

Your distressed face immediately broke out into a wide smile. You were so overjoyed. Oh my god, you couldn’t wait to tell Spencer, he would be just as elated. No one in the world seemed like they would be a more loving dad than your Spence.

You collected yourself, wiping the happy tears that were brimming your lash line on your sleeve and exiting the bathroom. You stuffed the tests wrapped in toilet paper in your purse.

You plopped down next to Savannah who was digging into her chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and she motioned to the moose tracks pint on the coffee table in front of you with a spoon placed next to it.

“You aren’t the only one who can play the pregnancy card now. We are watching The Breakfast Club next,” you grabbed the ice cream and leaned back against the couch, smiling.

-

Spencer was staring down at his phone on the jet when Morgan approached.

“How’s it going, kid?” Morgan asked, taking the seat across from him.

“Y/N texted me seven times over the past three days asking if I knew when I was going to be home. That’s a one hundred and fifty percent increase from her usual check-ins,” Spencer muttered, still looking down at his phone.

“Uh oh, Pretty Girl is calling off the wedding with Pretty Boy,” Morgan teased but as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew it was a mistake.

Spencer’s eyes shot up to Morgan’s face and they were practically bulging out of his head. He was going into full panic mode.

“Reid, Reid,” Morgan was trying to reach out to pat Spencer's shoulder to comfort him, “I’m sorry, it was just a joke, man. You know she loves you,” Morgan tried to assure him but the seed of worry had already been planted.

-

“Y/N? I’m home,” Spencer dropped his messenger bag by the door and slid his converse off.

You were currently in the bathroom, just finished with another bout of morning sickness. You ran out to see him.

“Oh thank god, you’re home!” you wrapped your arms around him and took in his comforting smell of mahogany body wash and overly sweetened coffee.

“There’s um I actually uh-,” you started to pull away to get the gift bag that you had left in the bedroom.

“Please don’t leave me,” Spencer blurted out.

You stopped dead in your tracks.

“Love, I just ran up to give you a hug and said ‘thank god you’re home’. I don’t exactly know what gave you the impression I wanted to leave but I’m pretty sure I agreed to stay forever when you proposed,” you giggled, holding up the ring on your finger.

Spencer blushed, realizing how stupid he was being.

“I actually have a gift for you if you would let me go for one second,” you laughing, trying to escape Spencer’s embrace.

He nodded smiling and loosened his hold on you.

You came back into the living room with a pastel purple bag and placed it in his hands. Spencer looked up at you suspiciously.

“Open it! I promise it’s not a bomb,” you grinned.

Spencer pulled out a large T-shirt. He had seen this T-shirt before. In fact, you were wearing it the night you met. The one that had “Best Dad Ever” written across it. Once Spencer read the words, he was already sobbing.

“Y/N? Are you serious?” he asked, looking up at you in complete awe.

“There are three more gifts in there,” you smiled, crying just as hard as him.

One by one, he pulled out each pregnancy test with a positive result on every one.

He crashed into you, pulling you so close to him. His lips sought yours through all the tears running down your faces.

“You’re gonna be a dad, Spence,” you whispered, “the best dad.”

“You are going to be such an amazing mom, Y/N. Just when I think I can’t get any happier, you still manage to do it. I love you so much, my sun,” he spoke as he pulled away with his hands still on your cheeks, thumbs wiping away your tears.

“We love you too,” you giggled as Spencer bent down and placed a kiss on your tummy.

“Since mommy is my sun, you will be my moon. Sound good, little one?” he whispered, the breath fanning out across your belly and tickling you slightly.

He stood again, pulling you into a deep kiss.

“Now I understand the eagerness for me to get home,” he laughed.

“Yeah about that...I’m so glad to have you back home but could you please run to the store and get me some more moose tracks ice cream? It’s the only thing the baby doesn’t immediately reject,” you asked with puppy dog eyes.

“As if I could say no to you, my love,” he kissed you again and then your belly, grabbing his keys and heading to the convenience store down the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAD SPENCE ALERT!!! i’m so excited. i’m sorry if you don’t like when Y/N gets pregnant in fics but it seemed like the natural progression of events since it is said in the show that spencer wants kids. there will be more plot than just pregnancy/kid fluff though.


	18. Chapter 18

“Spence, you can bring that book with you in the car,” you laughed. 

“This is the last book on the list of the top one hundred books to read for first-time parents according to the National OB/GYN Association. I need to be prepared for anything,” Spencer explained. 

“I think they are expecting people to read one or maybe two of those. Also, you know this is just the first ultrasound appointment. They don’t send you home with the baby today, genius,” you grinned, ruffling his hair.

“Nope I had no idea,” he joked and closed the book, “Let’s go,” he smiled and grabbed your hand, leading you out the door. 

Spencer had gotten really protective since the pregnancy had started. Whenever you both left the apartment, he would want to be touching you in some way whether his hand was in yours or he had his arm wrapped around your waist. It was really sweet, it was like he always wanted to make sure you and the baby were okay. 

Once he helped you sit in the car and he made his way around to the driver’s side, his free hand that wasn’t on the wheel, rested on your thigh occasionally coming up to rub your belly even though there was no bump showing yet. 

-

“Reid,” you said to the receptionist, “Our appointment is at 8:30 so we’re a little early.”

Spencer smiled at the fact that you made the appointment under his last name even though technically it’s wasn’t yours yet. 

“Ah, first-timers! Congratulations,” she smiled back, pulling up your information. 

“Thank you. Is it that obvious?” you asked, seating yourself in the waiting room with Spencer right next to you. 

“Your husband ran to open the door for you and you insisted you were pregnant not dying,” she laughed, “Plus, you look a little too well-rested to already have a kid.”

You didn’t correct her at the use of the word ‘husband’. It would be true soon enough. 

After a few minutes, a nurse in pale pink scrubs called you in. 

“Hi, I am Dr. Hicks! I’ll be your obstetrician. Now, if it’s alright with you, I’m going to perform an ultrasound to make sure everything looks good and then I’ll give you some information and pamphlets to look over and answer any questions you may have,” she kindly explained. 

“Just so you know, this one,” you pointed to Spencer, “is a doctor and has already read over one hundred parenting books but he is not a medical doctor so he is going to let Dr. Hicks do her job, right?” you chided, looking at Spencer. 

He nodded begrudgingly and Dr. Hicks laughed. 

“It’s okay. It’s nice to see Dad so eager,” she smiled. 

Spencer immediately perked up again at being referred to as ‘Dad’ and he squeezed your hand with a smile. 

“Now if I could have you just lift up your shirt. This is going to be a little cold,” Dr. Hicks applied the gel to your stomach and pulled over the monitor so you both could see the image on screen. 

“Okay, where am I looking?” you were squinting your eyes at the screen. 

Dr. Hicks pointed to a tiny dot that apparently was your baby. 

“At eight weeks old, a baby is about two centimeters long, roughly the size of a kidney bean,” Spencer stated. 

“We made that, Spence. I can already tell the little bean is cute,” you laughed. 

“Of course, little moon is going to be adorable. They have mommy’s genes,” he smiled and placed a chaste kiss on your lips. 

-

You asked Dr. Hicks to print a few extra copies of the ultrasound because you were sure a few would be snatched away from you at the BAU. 

You decided to wait until after the first ultrasound to tell everyone to make sure the baby was healthy. 

You stepped off the elevator to the sixth floor with Spencer right beside you. Penelope was already in the hallway on her way to make copies. 

“Reid? I thought Hotch said you were taking a personal day? And why is Y/N here? Not that it isn’t great to see you both,” Penelope questioned. 

“Just please follow me if you will and everything will be explained,” Spencer continued into the bullpen with you and Penelope right behind him. 

“Can I have everyone’s attention real quick?” Spencer announced in the bullpen, Hotch stepped out of his office already with a big smile on his face. 

Spencer told him already so they could plan ahead. Spencer did not want to miss a single ultrasound appointment. 

Spencer looked to you to finish the announcement. 

“I’m pregnant!” you exclaimed, placing a hand on your belly. 

Penelope’s arms flew up in the air, dropping all the pieces of paper she was about to copy. 

“Oh my god! A baby genius! I can not wait!” she clapped excitedly. 

“When are you due?” Emily asked. 

“Early October. I’m eight weeks right now. We actually have ultrasound pictures if anyone wants to see,” you replied, handing out the pictures of your little one to them. 

“Congratulations to you both. It looks like our kids will be in the same grade since Savannah is due in September,” Derek smiled. 

“They will be best friends before they are even born,” Spencer said, wrapping his arms around you from behind and resting his chin on top of your head. 

“Jack will be so excited to have another cousin to play with,” Hotch grinned. 

“Oh my! What are we going to do about the wedding?” Penelope chirped. 

You looked at Spencer. You basically had two options because you didn’t want to look extremely pregnant during your wedding. You could either do it within the next few months or wait until after the baby was born. 

“We have decided to do it within the next three months because Y/N says she doesn’t want to ‘look like a beach ball’,” Spencer quoted you. 

“And we thought waiting until after the baby was born was too long for us. It is going to be a small wedding anyways and thanks to the hard work of the extraordinary maid of honor, Penelope, most of the decisions have already been made,” you explained. 

“All you have left to do is choose a venue,” Penelope smiled. 

“We will think about it and let you know soon. We better get going because no offense but I’d rather not spend my whole personal day at work,” Spencer chuckled. 

You waved goodbye to everyone and they repeated their congratulations once again. 

When Spencer was pulling out of the parking lot, he took a left instead of the usual right. You furrowed your brow in confusion. 

“Where are we going, love?” you asked. 

“Just a quick stop, I promise,” he grabbed your hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing it. 

You drove for about twenty minutes out of the city where the houses started to get farther apart. Spencer stopped the car in front of a beautiful Victorian-style house with vines growing up the side but not in an unkempt way. 

“An agent from the white-collar crimes division is transferring to Georgia. He is in quite the rush to sell his house. I said we would take a look,” Spencer smiled. 

“It’s gorgeous,” you beamed. 

“Let’s go see. He gave me a spare key,” he opened his car door and ran around to open the door for you.

“Spence, look! I can see a backyard,” you chirped, running behind the house. 

There was a sprawling backyard with a big porch and one huge maple tree in the center with a tire swing attached to it. 

“This is the perfect place for kids to play! I can already see the play dates with Derek and Savannah’s kid now,” you giggled. 

“We are about five minutes away from their house,” Spencer informed you. 

“Yes! I’ll be so close to my pregnancy buddy. Movie nights just became a lot more frequent,” you grinned. 

Spencer took your hand and guided you in through the back door. The house was mostly empty other than a few packed boxes with labels written in sharpie on them. 

The downstairs had a very open floor plan which you loved. You could see the living room with a brick fireplace from the spacious kitchen. The first floor also included a dining room, a bathroom, and a spare room. The second floor had a master bedroom for you and Spencer, a room that would be turned into a nursery for the baby, an extra room, and a bathroom with a ginormous clawfoot bathtub. 

“What do you think, my love?” Spencer asked as you made your way back down the stairs. 

“I love it, Spence. This is the perfect place to start our family,” you hugged him. 

“He hasn’t even had the time to put it on the market so it’s ours if we make an offer,” he kissed the top of your head and squeezed you. 

You looked up at him in awe of being able to find the perfect home for you both so fast. 

“Let’s do it. I want to start the rest of our lives together here,” you whispered and nuzzled your head back into his chest. 

“What if we get married here, my sun?” he looked down at you, cupping your chin with his fingers. 

“You said it yourself, we are starting the rest of our lives here so why not make it the place we get married too?” he continued. 

You pulled him in for a deep kiss. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was a genius, Spencer really was full of good ideas.


End file.
